US2621845A

US2621845A - Filler valve

Info

Publication number: US2621845A
Application number: US83261A
Authority: US
Inventors: George L N Meyer
Original assignee: George J Meyer Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: George J Meyer Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1949-03-24
Filing date: 1949-03-24
Publication date: 1952-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 1969-12-16

Description

Dec. R6, w52 G. l.. N. MEYER FILLER VALVE 2 SHEETS- SHEET l Filed March 24, 1949 llllrl/l/ INVENTOR.

Dec. 16, 1952 G. L. N. MEYER FILLER VALVE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed March 24, 1949 Patented Dec. 16, 1952 FILLER VALVE George L. N. Meyer, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Geo. J. Meyer Manufacturing Company,

Cudahy, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application March 24, 1949, Serial No. 83,261

6 Claims.

This invention relates to ller valves and more particularly to a filler valve adapted to supply bottles or the like with liquids containing particles of solid matter.

Some trouble has been experienced in iilling bottles on machines employing valves with screens to stop the flow of liquid upon equalization of pressure above and below the valve due to the pulp clogging the screen and either impeding or completely stopping the ow of the liquid.

It is an object of the present invention to pro-v vide a counter-pressure ller valve which will not become clogged when used on lling machines filling pulp drinks.

Another object is to provide a suitable counterpressure ller valve for use with pulp drinks or other liquids containing solid particles.

A further object is to provide a counter-pressure ller valve which will be less subject to clogging than those now in use. i'

A further object is to provide a counter-pressure filler valve for pulp drinks or the like which will stop the ow of beverages when the pressures are equalized above and below the valve.

Still further objects will become apparent upon considering the following specification which when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrate a preferred form of the invention, together With a modification thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical cross-sectional view thru a ller valve showing the improved valve element.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section similar to Fig. 1 but showing the liquid valve element.

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the liquid valve element, and is a cross-section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. l.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 respectively, but showing a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to the form of the invention shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, the lling machine comprises a iiller bowl Ii) adapted to rotate about an aXis (not shown), the bowl having a plurality of spaced apertures I2 therein in which are mounted ller valves, generally designated I4.

A beverage to be supplied to the bottles I5 is maintained at a predetermined level I6 in the ller bowl by means of a float controlled valve (not shown), the area above the liquid being subjected to counter pressure gas.

The valve I4 comprises a cage I3 having a closed cylindrical wall 2I3 and an open top 2| thru which liquid enters the cage IB. The cage I8 is received in the aperture I2 in the bowl I9 and is maintained on a shoulder ZI in the opening I2 by a clamp 23 which presses upwardly to retain a valve seat 25 in the cage and simultaneously to retain the cage I8 in the aperture I2.

A liquid valve element 28 is mounted in the cage I8 and has a plurality of wings 3B forming a spider which contact the cylindrical walls 20 of the cage to center and guide the valve element 28 accurately in its vertical movement. The valve element 28 has a resilient seal 32 at its lower end which seats on the valve seat 25 to preventthe passage of liquid thru the valve when the .valve is closed.

For further details of the seal 32 see the'copending application of George L. N. Meyer, Serial No. 623,240 filed October 19, 1945.

An annular horizontal ring 35 is secured at its inner periphery to the valve element 25 and Aprojects outwardly to a point adjacent the inside wall of the cylindrical walls 20 ofthe cage I6. The ring or disc 35 thus extends between the cage I8 and the valve element 25. The space between outer edge of thev ring 35 and the inner cylindrical wall 20 of the cage I8 forms a long narrow passage or foramen 31 thru which liquid must pass in going thru the valve.

A vent tube 38 is secured in the upper end of the valve element 28 and passes upwardly thru the liquid in the bowl IB and into the gaseous counterpressure gas above the liquid. The control of gas thru the vent tube 38 is eiected by a gas control valve 4U which isv opened mechanically by means of a lever 42 actuated by a cam follower 43. The valve 4D is maintained open by a spring 44.

The vent tube 38 has an extension 45 which is secured to the bottom of the valve element 26 and communicates with the vent tube 38 thru an aperture 46 in the valve element 28. The vent tube extends downwardly into the bottle I5 for the passage of gas the outer surface of the tube serving to guide the liquid downwardly and off a spreader element 41 onto the inner surface of the bottle I5, thus preventing splashing and agitation of the beverage.

The vent stem 38 has a cylindrical guide plunger 50 fixed thereto which operates in a guide cylinder 5I supported from the top of the cage IB by arms 52. The cylinder 5I guides the upper end of the vent stem 38 so that the entire valve element moves vertically.

A spring 56 is seated in a recessin the top of the valve cage and bears against the bottom of the plunger 5S to constantly urge the liquid valve element 2.8 .into open position, the valve remaining closed normally bypressure of the liquid and counter pressure gas.

The clampv23 is provided with a vertical cylindrical opening which receives` a rubber sealing ring 55. For further details of the rubber sealing ring see the co-pending application of Geo. L. N. Meyer, Serial No. 762,931 filed July 23, 1947.

The modification of the invention shown n Figs. 4, 5 and 6 uses similar numbers -to. designate parts identical to corresponding parts of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and description of such parts is omitted to eliminate undue duplication.

In the modification of the invention shownjin Figs. 4, 5 and 6 the annular ring 55 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) is replaced by an annularcup `GD. 'The cup 50 comprises an annular ring '62 (best seen in Figs. 4 and 5) secured at its inner periphery to the liquid valve element 28 and extending outwardly and terminating in an upstandingannular collar 63 which lies closely adjacent the inner cylindrical wall 2U of the cage I8. Arcuate apertures 65 are provided for the passage of liquid past the'valve-element 218. The passages 65 are long and -narrow to form slits or foramens.

yInrother respects the `valve shown in Figs. 4, 5 andv is identical to the valve shown Iin Figs. 1,

A2 -and 3.

Operation Inoperation,theiiller bowl .I isfilled .with a ,liquid beverage until the level `of the liquidrises to the level I5, which is .well above Vthe level .of theliquid valve 28but below-the air valveAMl. The

`filling ymachine may then bestarted, lbottles I5 placed on the stirrups (not shown) vand raised intosealing engagementwith the sealing ring 55. When therneck of the -bottle I5 isin sealingengagement, a cam (not shown) .contacts .the cam follower .43 actuating the lever 42 to 4open the Igas control valve .40 permitting `counterpressure gas toflow downward ythru vthe vtubes 38 'and .45

and the-,passage 46 into .the bottle I5.

When thepressure Within the bottle .I 5 is substantially equal -to the pressure .downwardlyof the liquid, the spring 54 .overcomes the liquid pressure on the-valve 28 andraises that valve off its Aseat 32, .permitting `the beverage to flow downwardly .thru the valve cage I8, thru the .foramen 31 past :the valve 28 and is deected ofr thevent tube45^by the spreader element.

As ythe beverage flows into ,the bottle .I5 `the counter-pressure gas in the bottle escapes thru vthevent tubes-45 -and 38 and returns to the .top

must rstpass thru the narrow slitson Aforamens 31 or 65. The natural surface-tension across the foramen prevents the flow of liquid downward atthis ytime and thus stops the filling action.

As the bottles I5 approach the unloading station the valves 28 and v4I) are both closed mechanically bythe cam follower v43 and excess gasin the top ofthe bottle drawn off thru a snifter valve (not shown).

The bottle is then 4lowered ,out of Contact with the seal 55 and Vtl'lebottle removed for capping.

.It will rbe realized that the hereinbefore described Aforms of Athe ,invention are to be ktaken merely Vas preferred embodiments thereof, and that various changes'in size, shape and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

That which is claimed as new Vand is -desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A filler valve of the character described comprising, a cylindrical valve cage, a liquid valve above the lower endof the valve when the valve is inraised position, and an annular ring secured tothe periphery of the valve and extending outwardly to a point adjacent the inner periphery ofthe cage toform a -narrow'elongated passage 'for the liquid.

3. A filler valve adapted to control the ow of a'beverage thruan opening in a counter-pressure filler comprising, a valve seat `surrounding said .opening,.a valve element yseated-on said seat, a

foraminouselement 'fixed to and movable with said-valve and adapted to stop the flow of liquid ydownwardly'therethru upon-equalization of pressure up and down at the valve.

v4. A iller valve adapted to control the ilow of a beverage thru an vopening in a counter-pressure filler comprising, a valve seat surrounding said opening, a valve ,cage having 1a cylindrical ,inner Wall. a Valve villgai'cl .cage adapted to 4seat `on vsaid valve seat to closesaid opening va :cup shaped vmember xed concentrically to valve andhaving theupturned rim of -said cup closely adjacent said cylindrical wall, `the flat bottom of said cup having aforamen adapted to'prevent the passage of liquid ydownwardly vupon equalization of the pressures upand down at the valve.

5. A iiller .valve adapted to control the flow of .beverage ,from a counter-pressure ller bowl to a container to .be .lled comprising, a cylindrical valve cage, a liquid valve seatat the lower end of said cage, and a disc mounted between said cage andsaid valve and providing a forarninous element for the passage of beverage between said valve ,cage and said valve.

6. A filler valve of the character described comprising, a cylindrical valve cage having an open- `ing for the passage of liquid through the lower end-thereof, a valve seat surrounding said opening, a valve mounted Ain said valve cage, and a disc extending between the inner surface of said cage and-said valveabove said seat and providing a foramen for the passage of liquid through said valve cage and past said valve.

GEO. L. N. MEYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references ,are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED ,STATES rPATENTS Number Name Date 529,355 vBlessing et al Nov. 20, 1894 1,140,169 Ila-Porte May 18, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 447,798 Germany July 29, 1927