US3776285A - Apparatus for filling containers with liquid - Google Patents

Apparatus for filling containers with liquid Download PDF

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Publication number
US3776285A
US3776285A US00203343A US3776285DA US3776285A US 3776285 A US3776285 A US 3776285A US 00203343 A US00203343 A US 00203343A US 3776285D A US3776285D A US 3776285DA US 3776285 A US3776285 A US 3776285A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
sleeve
tube
slot
lower tube
liquid
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00203343A
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English (en)
Inventor
A Nicholls
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Farrow and Jackson Ltd
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Farrow and Jackson Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
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Publication of US3776285A publication Critical patent/US3776285A/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/16—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus using suction
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22—Details
    • B67C3/26—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22—Details
    • B67C3/26—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks
    • B67C3/2634—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks specially adapted for vacuum or suction filling

Definitions

  • the tubular part is di- 1,0s5,s99 2 1914 Fisher 141/294 x vided P Y rigid 1 and lwer P 7; 55 Quam 141/294 tions resiliently joined together so that the lower por- 2,76l,606 9/1956 Pahl 141/354 X tion can adapt itself precisely to the path of the recip- 768,965 8/1904 Strasburger... 141/294 rocable sleeve, which is a neat sliding fit on arcuate 766,046 7/1904 Kreider 141/371 X surfaces extending along the tubular part. 2,701,676 2/1955 Day 141/371 X 1,726,479 8/1929 Engle "141/386 x 3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures -39 a? 43 99 z: i 4O Y 38 41 '12 a In t E 77 23 PATENTEU UEB 4 I975 SHEET 1 BF 3 PATENTED DEC 4 I975 SHEET 20? 3 Fig.3.
  • This invention relates to apparatus for filling containers, particularly bottles, with liquid, and the type of apparatus with which the invention is concerned is that in which the manual or automatic presentation of the container to the apparatus is accompanied by the actuation of valve mechanism that permits the liquid to flow into the container while air escapes therefrom.
  • the invention is applicable to various toms of filling apparatus and is very conveniently applied to gravity-vacuum fillers, that is to say fillers in which air is positively evacuated from the container prior to the entry of the liquid.
  • the invention is equally applicable to simple gravity fillers.
  • a primary object of the invention is to provide valve mechanism, for use in bottle filling apparatus, that is particularly suitable for filling miniature bottles (e.g., bottles having a content of the order of 2 fluid ounces.
  • miniature bottles e.g., bottles having a content of the order of 2 fluid ounces.
  • the invention is not limited to apparatus for filling miniature bottles.
  • the invention may be applied to the filling of larger bottles and various other forms of containers.
  • the invention is applicable to the filling of bottles and other containers whether made of rigid material, e.g. glass, or resilient plastics material.
  • valve mechanism for filling a container includes a valve arranged to project downwards into the top of a container to be filled, and comprising a tubular center part, carrying a seal at its lower end, and formed with a lateral port close to the seal and a sleeve mounted to reciprocate on a lower portion of the tubular part between a position in which it engages the seal to close the valve and a position in which the valve is fully open, the center part and sleeve being formed to provide a passageway extending downwards between them and so arranged in relation to the port that when the valve is open liquidis discharged into the container, on one side of the seal, through one of the two ducts constituted by the said tubular part and the said passageway, while air is discharged from the container, on the opposite side of the seal, through the other of the two ducts, the lower portion of the tubular part being a substantially rigid member mounted to yield laterally so as to adapt itself precisely to the path of the reciprocating sleeve.
  • the central tubular part provides the air vent and the passageway between the vent tube and sleeve delivers the liquid to the container.
  • the passageway may be divided into two parts so as to provide good bearing surfaces for the sleeve in combination with adequate passages for the liquid.
  • the cross-section of the vent tube is basically circular to fit a circular bore in the sleeve
  • the passages may be defined by two chordal surfaces that converge, as viewed in cross-section, towards one side.
  • the cross section presents two arcuate surfaces, one substantially wider than the other, joined by the chordal surfaces, which are preferably flat.
  • the lateral port is formed centrally at the lower end of the wider arcuate surface.
  • the vent tube has to be of comparatively substantial length, in that it has to extend upwards to a point above the liquid surface in a supply tank. Therefore, if the vent tube was a single rigid unit, there would be a danger that its lower end would not register precisely with the path of the reciprocating sleeve,.with a consequent danger of undue friction and wear. It is for this reason that the lower portion of the vent tube, on which the sleeve reciprocates, is yieldingly attached to the portion of the vent tube that lies above it.
  • the lower portion may be formed at its upper end with a flange between which and the adjacent portion of the vent tube is located an annular cushion such as an o-ring. These portions may be clamped together, with a certain amount of lateral clearance, by a threaded sleeve. Therefore, the lower portion of the vent tube can accomodate itself to the path of the reciprocating sleeve.
  • FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of the mechanism
  • FIG. 2 is an elevation of a part of the mechanism of FIG. 1,
  • FIG. 3 is an elevation in the direction of the arrow D in FIG. 2,
  • FIG. 4 is an elevation in the direction of the arrow E in FIG. 2,
  • FIG. 5 is a section on the line AA in FIG. 2,
  • FIG. 6 is a section on the line B--B in FIG. 2,
  • FIG. 7 is an elevation of another part of the mechanism of FIG. 1, and
  • FIG. 8 shows a detail of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale.
  • valve assembly shown in the drawings is used in bottle filling apparatus having many of the features particularly described in US. Pat..N o. 3,474,835 and the valve assembly itself has some of those features.
  • the liquid to be received by the bottles is contained in a tank in which the liquid level is maintained by a float controlled valve and in which a vacuum of aboutthree inches of mercury is maintained above the liquid in the tank.
  • a number of the valve assemblies are fixed in a circle round the bottom 1 of the tank and each of these is furnished with an air vent tube 2 that rises above the liquid level in the tank.
  • An equivalent number of jacks for automatically raising and lowering the bottles to be filled are mounted together with the filling apparatus, on a continuously revolving support, so that each bottle may be picked up at one point from, for example, a straight line conveyor, and then carried round while being raised, filled and lowered, to be discharged in time for the jack to receive another bottle at the point.
  • Each valve assembly includes a body 3 secured to the bottom 1 of the tank in register with an opening through which theliquid passes to a space 4 in the body 3 and thence through ports 5 to filling tube 6 down which the liquid flows outside a center vent tube 7 mounted axially in the filling tube 6 and providing a connection between the upper vent tube 2 and a lower vent tube 8.
  • valve assembly so far described all remain stationary with respect to the tank, but slidably mounted on the outside surface of the center vent tube 7 is a slide 9 to the lower end of which is fixed a sleeve 10 through which the lower vent tube 8 projects.
  • the slide 9 and sleeve 10 are shown on the left-hand side of FIG. 1 in their lowermost position, in which the valve is closed. On the right-hand side, these parts are shown in their uppermost position determined by the engagement of a flange 11 on the slide 9 with a surface 12 in the body 3. In this position the valve is fully open.
  • the slide 9 is a composite structure including an internal sleeve 9a of polytetrafluoroethylene (having a toughening filler), that slides on the filling tube 6, with an internal seal 18, a sleeve 9b on which the flange 11 is formed and to which the sleeve 10 is fixed, and an outer cylinder 9c formed at its upper end with an internal flange l9 bearing on top of the sleeve 9a and at its lower end formed with the flange 17.
  • an internal sleeve 9a of polytetrafluoroethylene having a toughening filler
  • the action (described in greater below) of the valve is that, to open the valve, the top of a bottle neck, as it is raised for filling, is pressed against a rubber seal 20 on the base of the slide 9 and raises the slide 9 and sleeve 10 against the action of the spring 15 to uncover a slot 21 in the lower vent tube 8.
  • the pressure in the bottle becomes equal to that above the liquid in the tank, allowing the liquid to run down, outside the composite vent tube 8, 7, in the path defined by the filling tube 6 and the sleeve 10, to be discharged into the bottle.
  • the filling tube 6 discharges into a convergent part 22 of the passage through the sleeve 9b leading to the comparatively fine bore sleeve 10.
  • Plastics spacers 23 of different thicknesses may be interposed between the seal 20 and the flange 1 1 to provide the required filling level in the bottle.
  • This tube has a bore 24 extending axially through its entire length. Over the major portion of its length it is formed on opposite sides with two flat faces 25 which, in crosssection, are at to one another (FIG. 5). Between these two flat faces, therefore, are two arcuate surfaces 26, 27 on which the sleeve 10 is a sliding fit.
  • the flat faces 25 flare out at 28 (FIGS. 2, 3) to a cylindrical portion 29 at the lower end of the vent tube.
  • the slot 21 provides communication between the bore 24 and the curved surface of the portion 29 on the side of the arcuate surface 27.
  • the lower end of the bore 24 is closed by the tip 14, which has a spigot 30 (FIG. 7) screwed into the bore 24.
  • a cylindrical part 31 of the tip is interposed between the spigot 30 and an annular platform 32 on which the seal 13 rests.
  • the part 31 presents a surface 33 which bears directly against the bottom surface 34 of the lower vent tube 8.
  • the seal 13 may be made of an acetal resin such as that known under the Registered Trade Mark Delrin.
  • the tube 8 and sleeve 10 are made of stainless steel.
  • the lower vent tube 8 is provided with a hard chrome finish.
  • mount the comparatively rigid lower vent tube 8 so that it can be resiliently displaced slightly relatively to the comparatively rigid centre vent tube 7, to enable it to accommodate itself as precisely as possible to the bore of the sleeve 10.
  • the upper end of the lower vent tube 8 is provided with a flange 38 (FIG.
  • a rubber O-ring 40 is interposed between the flange 38 and the lower end of the centre vent tube 7 and these parts are clamped together by an internal shoulder 41 on a sleeve 42, screwed onto the center vent tube 7.
  • the resilience of the O-ring 40 and the clearances are such as to enable the lower vent tube to take up a slightly inclined position or to be translated slightly in a horizontal direction with respect to the center vent tube 7.
  • This tube 7 is rigidly located in the filling tube 6 by radial fins 43, and is rigidly secured at its upper end.
  • a bottle rising to be filled engages a nylon member 44 that has an internal conical passage, fixed to vertical pins 45 guided in bearings in the body 3, and is centred by the member 44 throughout the filling process.
  • the vacuum in the tank can draw back into the tank liquid that has collected in the vent tubes at the end of the filling of the previous bottle and the reduction of pressure in the bottle enables the liquid to run down inside the filling tube 6 and sleeve 10. This liquid travels down the flat faces 25 of the lower vent tube and is discharged into the bottle above the tip on one side thereof.
  • the apparatus shown in the drawings is designed for filling miniature bottles, for example, one and twothirds or 2 fluid ounces.
  • the diameter of the tip 14 is, in this example, 0.340 inches.
  • a valve mechanism for filling a generally vertical container, such as a bottle, with liquid comprising:
  • a generally vertical, lower tube adapted to extend downwardly into the container
  • connecting means connecting said lower tube to said upper tube in axial alignment therewith to create a continuous first passage through said tubes, said connecting means enabling limited resilient deflection of said lower tube out of alignment with said upper tube;
  • a sleeve mounted on said lower tube for sliding motion thereon;
  • said lower tube further including,
  • said connecting means enabling said lower tube to align itself coaxially with said sleeve whereby wear of said sleeve is minimized during reciprocating motion thereof along said lower tube.
  • valve mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein said sleeve and said lower tube are of substantially circular cross-section,
  • bearing surfaces constituting unequal, major and minor arcuate surfaces, and wherein,
  • said spaced surfaces constitute chordal surfaces extending between said arcuate surfaces and converging toward said minor arcuate surface, said slot being positioned in said major arcuate surface and the liquid discharging on the side of said tube adjacent said minor arcuate surface.

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  • Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
US00203343A 1970-12-21 1971-11-30 Apparatus for filling containers with liquid Expired - Lifetime US3776285A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB6056570 1970-12-21

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3776285A true US3776285A (en) 1973-12-04

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ID=10485757

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00203343A Expired - Lifetime US3776285A (en) 1970-12-21 1971-11-30 Apparatus for filling containers with liquid

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US (1) US3776285A (mo)
JP (1) JPS5142990B1 (mo)
CA (1) CA944732A (mo)
DE (1) DE2160322B2 (mo)
FR (1) FR2119487A5 (mo)
GB (1) GB1349154A (mo)
IT (1) IT945339B (mo)
NL (1) NL7117009A (mo)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6338008B1 (en) 1998-04-09 2002-01-08 Mobil Oil Corporation Robotic vehicle servicing system
US6343241B1 (en) 1998-04-09 2002-01-29 Mobil Oil Corporation Robotic vehicle servicing system
US8291948B1 (en) * 2012-03-16 2012-10-23 Marks George H Centering guide for automated bottling machinery
CN106927413A (zh) * 2015-12-29 2017-07-07 刘育衡 底部往上液体灌注系统

Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US766046A (en) * 1903-11-14 1904-07-26 Enos H Kreider Bottle-filling machine.
US768965A (en) * 1903-07-09 1904-08-30 Bottlers Special Machinery Company Filling-valve.
US1085899A (en) * 1908-05-09 1914-02-03 Rice And Adams Bottle-filler.
US1726479A (en) * 1927-02-18 1929-08-27 Edgar S Engle Bottle-filling machine
US2383700A (en) * 1941-12-17 1945-08-28 William T Barker Ampoule filling and conveying machine
US2591071A (en) * 1950-11-10 1952-04-01 Horix Mfg Company Apparatus for filling liquid containers having vertically adjustable tank and constant level valves
US2701676A (en) * 1951-06-08 1955-02-08 Crown Cork & Seal Co Filling nozzle for apparatus for filling containers with liquid
US2703672A (en) * 1952-08-08 1955-03-08 Ranold F Quam Vessel filling device
US2761606A (en) * 1954-07-16 1956-09-04 Crown Cork & Seal Co Filling machine
US3048206A (en) * 1957-06-26 1962-08-07 Bruno Kaiser Dr Filling device for bottle- and container-filling machines
US3722558A (en) * 1970-12-10 1973-03-27 Acraloc Corp Vacuum nozzle

Patent Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US768965A (en) * 1903-07-09 1904-08-30 Bottlers Special Machinery Company Filling-valve.
US766046A (en) * 1903-11-14 1904-07-26 Enos H Kreider Bottle-filling machine.
US1085899A (en) * 1908-05-09 1914-02-03 Rice And Adams Bottle-filler.
US1726479A (en) * 1927-02-18 1929-08-27 Edgar S Engle Bottle-filling machine
US2383700A (en) * 1941-12-17 1945-08-28 William T Barker Ampoule filling and conveying machine
US2591071A (en) * 1950-11-10 1952-04-01 Horix Mfg Company Apparatus for filling liquid containers having vertically adjustable tank and constant level valves
US2701676A (en) * 1951-06-08 1955-02-08 Crown Cork & Seal Co Filling nozzle for apparatus for filling containers with liquid
US2703672A (en) * 1952-08-08 1955-03-08 Ranold F Quam Vessel filling device
US2761606A (en) * 1954-07-16 1956-09-04 Crown Cork & Seal Co Filling machine
US3048206A (en) * 1957-06-26 1962-08-07 Bruno Kaiser Dr Filling device for bottle- and container-filling machines
US3722558A (en) * 1970-12-10 1973-03-27 Acraloc Corp Vacuum nozzle

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6338008B1 (en) 1998-04-09 2002-01-08 Mobil Oil Corporation Robotic vehicle servicing system
US6343241B1 (en) 1998-04-09 2002-01-29 Mobil Oil Corporation Robotic vehicle servicing system
US8291948B1 (en) * 2012-03-16 2012-10-23 Marks George H Centering guide for automated bottling machinery
CN106927413A (zh) * 2015-12-29 2017-07-07 刘育衡 底部往上液体灌注系统
CN106927413B (zh) * 2015-12-29 2019-03-01 刘育衡 底部往上液体灌注系统

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1349154A (en) 1974-03-27
DE2160322A1 (de) 1972-07-06
DE2160322B2 (de) 1974-09-26
IT945339B (it) 1973-05-10
NL7117009A (mo) 1972-06-23
JPS5142990B1 (mo) 1976-11-18
CA944732A (en) 1974-04-02
FR2119487A5 (mo) 1972-08-04

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