EP0188153A1 - Method and apparatus for filling and dosing flasks - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Process for the filling and stoppering of bottles (F), involving arranging the empty bottles (F) in rows of n bottles distributed at a specific interval (a), causing the bottles to pass opposite a filling station (12) comprising n injection nozzles (40) spaced at the said interval for simultaneously filling all the bottles of one and the same row, and then causing the bottles to pass opposite a stoppering station (14) comprising n driving pushers (52) spaced at the said interval for simultaneously driving in all the stoppers (B) of one and the same row, characterized in that the empty bottles (F) are arranged on trays (P), the bottles of two successive rows being offset half an interval parallel to the said rows, the n injection nozzles (40) are shifted half an interval alternately in one direction or the other when a new row of bottles arrives underneath these nozzles, and the n driving pushers (52) are shifted half an interval in one direction or the other when a new row of bottles arrives underneath these pushers.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for filling and capping vials and to a machine for implementing this method.

In many industries such as the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, there is a need to automatically fill and stop vials, for example before they undergo freeze-drying treatment.

Currently existing machines generally consist of a conveyor on which are unloaded one by one empty bottles conveyed to the machine in flat bins called containers. Under the effect of the conveyor's step-by-step advance, each bottle passes in turn successively past a filling station comprising a single injection nozzle and before a capping station comprising a single pusher used to press a stopper onto each bottle. At the exit of the machine, the bottles are generally loaded again on the containers by means of which they can in particular be transported in a lyophilization machine or simply stored.

In these machines, the time lost in unloading and reloading the containers and in scrolling one by one each bottle in front of the filling and capping stations must be compensated by very rapid cycles at each of the stations, if desired maintain a good rate (generally 2000 to 3000 vials per hour). The design of these machines therefore leads to very heavy demands on the mechanisms of the filling and capping stations and to limit the rate to values which can hardly exceed three thousand bottles per hour.

The subject of the present invention is precisely a new method for filling and capping vials and a machine operating according to this method making it possible to achieve rates much higher than those of existing machines (for example ten thousand vials per hour), all by using less of the mechanisms of the filling and capping stations thanks to an extension of the duration of the cycles at these stations.

To this end and in accordance with the invention, a method of filling and capping of vials is proposed, characterized in that it consists in placing the empty vials on trays by rows of n vials distributed at a determined pitch, at scroll the trays opposite - vis-à-vis a filling station comprising n injection nozzles spaced from said pitch to simultaneously fill all the bottles in the same row, then scroll the trays opposite a capping station comprising n push-in pushers spaced from said pitch, for simultaneously driving all the plugs in the same row.

Due to the manufacturing tolerances of the bottles, the bottles may not be perfectly aligned with the fillers at the capping station. For this reason, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottles are centered with respect to the caps before proceeding to the insertion of the latter.

In order to place a maximum of bottles on each tray, the bottles are generally arranged in a triangular step, that is to say that the bottles of two successive rows are offset by half a step parallel to these rows. In this case, the injection nozzles are moved half a step alternately in either direction when a new row of vials arrives below the nozzles and the pushers are moved half a step alternately in either direction when a new row of bottles arrives below the lifters.

To take account of the shape of the plugs, the plugging station is preferably supplied with plugs facing upwards, a row of n plugs separated from said pitch is produced and the row of plugs is turned over before these plugs are inserted into the bottles. using said pushers.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the trays loaded with empty vials are stored before they are scrolled opposite the filling and capping stations and the trays loaded with full and capped vials are then stored.

The invention also relates to a machine for filling and capping bottles, comprising a conveyor actuated by control means in order to bring each bottle successively opposite a filling station comprising at least one nozzle. injection and a capping station comprising at least one pusher for driving a stopper, characterized in that the vials are arranged on trays resting on the conveyor by rows of n vials distributed at a determined pitch, the filling station comprising n injection nozzles aligned parallel to said rows and spaced from said pitch and the capping station comprising n pushers aligned parallel to said rows and spaced from said pitch and the capping station comprising n pushers aligned parallel to said rows and spaced from said pitch and means for bringing n plugs below the n pushers. To take into account a possible offset between the caps and the bottles resulting from the manufacturing tolerances of the latter, the capping station preferably comprises means for centering the bottles in the row situated below the n pushers relative to the caps.

Preferably, the means for bringing plugs below the n pushers comprise a plug supply station delivering on a feed belt plugs facing upwards, means for spacing n plugs from said pitch on this carpet to form a row of aligned plugs, means for gripping this row of plugs and for turning it over by placing it below said pushers.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for centering the plugs comprise a guide bar provided with a row of aligned holes spaced apart from said pitch and comprising on its underside guide members tangent to said holes, each hole being placed below a pusher and having a diameter slightly greater than the maximum diameter of the plugs, in order to create a slight friction between the plugs and the holes, said bar being normally maintained in a high position by elastic means, to allow the passage of the bottles, and being moved downward under the effect of said friction during the descent of the pushers, so as to engage each guide member on the neck of a bottle of the row of bottles facing each other .

The means for spacing n plugs of said pitch on the mat may in particular comprise a cam system mounted on the output shaft of a motor for controlling said mat, for alternately controlling the erasure and the installation of a retractable stop placed on the trajectory of the caps carried by the mat, and means for detecting the passage of nbouches beyond said stop.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for gripping and turning the row of stoppers comprise a frame supporting around an axis parallel to said rows of bottles a frame provided with a fixed strip and a movable strip at least one of which is notched at said pitch, means for pivoting the frame around said axis between a gripping position in which said strips are placed above the belt and a driving position in which said strips are placed in below the pushers, elastic means normally urging the movable strip towards the fixed strip to ensure the gripping of the plugs. and means for moving the movable strip away from the fixed strip when the frame returns to its gripping position.

• - la figure 1 est une vue de côté représentant de façon - schématique une machine de remplissage et de bouchage de flacons réalisée conformément à t'invention,
• - la figure 2 est une vue de dessus schématique d'une partie d'un plateau, dans lesquels sont rangés les flacons circulant dans la machine de la figure 1,
• - la figure 3 est une vue de côté, en coupe partielle et à plus grande échelle du poste assurant la préhension et le retournement des bouchons et du poste assurant l'enfoncement des bouchons dans la machine de la figure 1,
• - la figure 4 est une vue de dessus montrant le poste de préhension et de retournement de la figure 3 dans sa position de préhension, ainsi qu'une partie du poste d'alimentation en bouchons et d'espacement de ces bouchons pour former une rangée de n bouchons alignés, et
• - la figure 5 est une vue en perspective éclatée représentant en partie le poste d'enfoncement des bouchons et le poste de préhension et de retournement de ceux-ci, dans la position correspondant à l'enfoncement des bouchons.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a side view schematically representing a machine for filling and capping vials produced in accordance with the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of part of a tray, in which the bottles circulating in the machine of FIG. 1 are stored,
• FIG. 3 is a side view, in partial section and on a larger scale, of the station ensuring the gripping and turning over of the plugs and of the station ensuring the insertion of the plugs into the machine of FIG. 1,
• - Figure 4 is a top view showing the gripping and turning station of Figure 3 in its gripping position, as well as a part of the plug feeding station and spacing of these plugs to form a row n caps aligned, and
• - Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view partially showing the plug insertion station and the gripping and turning station thereof, in the position corresponding to the insertion of the plugs.

The bottle filling and capping machine shown in FIG. 1 is designed in accordance with the invention for filling and capping bottles F of different sizes previously stored in trays P, without these bottles being taken out of the trays during the different automatic operations performed by the machine. The machine is loaded with trays P, empty flasks F and loose caps B. It delivers trays P filled with flasks F filled with a precise quantity of liquid product and corked. Its control can in particular be ensured by a programmable automaton.

In general, the machine according to the invention consists of a station 10 for loading and storing the trays carrying the empty bottles, a station 12 for filling the bottles, a station 14 for inserting the plugs and a station 16 for storing and discharging the trays at the outlet. As will be seen later, the capping station 14 of the bottles is associated with a station 18 for supplying the corks, a station 20 for distributing nbouchons in step, and a station 22 for gripping and turning the corks. The transfer of the trays loaded with bottles between the different stations 10, 12, 14 and 16 is carried out by means of a conveyor belt 24 which may in particular be constituted by two parallel belts circulating on rollers 26 ensuring the tension of these belts. More specifically, the plates P are supported by the horizontal upper part of the belts of the conveyor 24.

The conveyor 24 is driven by one of the rollers 26, the axis of which is integral with the output shaft of a speed-varying brake gear motor 28.

At the entrance to the machine, that is to say on the left side of FIG. 1, the loading and storage station 10 comprises a loading table 30 arranged in the same horizontal plane as the upper part of the conveyor 24 and in the immediate vicinity of the corresponding end of this conveyor. This loading table 30 allows the operator to deposit a tray P loaded with empty bottles F. The operator then pushes the tray onto the conveyor 24, in a store 32 where they can be stored. This store comprises a frame 34 comprising several stages 34a and which can be moved vertically by a known motor system (not shown).

The magazine 32 is loaded by moving the frame 34 up one level each time a new tray is introduced, the frame 34 being initially placed in the low position.

The magazine 32 being filled, the trays loaded with bottles which it contains are then deposited one by one in reverse order on the conveyor 24, the latter being stopped. This delivery of the plates is obtained by lowering the frame 34.

After depositing a tray P loaded with bottles F on the conveyor 24 at a standstill, the gear motor 28 is used to transfer this tray to the level of the filling station 12. During this same movement, a tray which was previously opposite the filling station 12 is transferred to the capping station 14. In both cases, the plates meet front stops 36 which position them relative to the corresponding station , before a cycle for filling the vials contained in the tray located opposite the station 12 and a capping cycle for the vials located opposite the station 14 begins simultaneously. These transfers of the trays between the different stations are controlled at high speed by the gear motor 28.

As illustrated in particular in FIG. 2, the arrangement of the flasks F in the trays P is not made in any way, but so that the flasks are aligned by row, the flasks of two successive rows being arranged in staggered rows . In other words, the bottles F of the same row are in contact with the adjacent bottles and thus define a pitch a practically equal to the diameter of a bottle. Compared to the previous row, the bottles of a given row are also shifted alternately in both directions by half a step, that is to say by a value equal to the radius of each bottle.

To take account of this particular arrangement of the flasks F in the trays P, the latter are introduced into the magazine 32, so that each row of flasks which they contain is oriented perpendicular to the direction of movement of the trays on the conveyor 24 , that is to say transversely to the latter.

In accordance with the invention, the trays P are therefore made to scroll using the conveyor 24 filled with rows of bottles F successively opposite the filling station 12 and the capping station 14. To take this into account essential characteristic of the invention and of the staggered arrangement of the bottles in the rows successive placed in each tray, filling stations 12 and capping 14 must be made according to the invention in a particular way which will now be described.

As regards first of all the filling station shown very schematically in FIG. 1, it comprises a frame 38 supporting a row of n aligned nozzles 40 arranged transversely relative to the conveyor 24, that is to say parallel to the rows of bottles mounted on the plates P. The nozzles 40 are arranged according to the pitch a and they are supported by the chassis 38 so as to be respectively opposite each of the bottles F of the first row of bottles carried by a plate P, when the latter abuts against the corresponding front stop 36.

Each of the n nozzles 40 is placed at the end of a distribution and metering circuit for a liquid of which it is desired to fill the bottles. This circuit is produced in a well known manner according to the techniques used in existing machines, so that it will not be described here in more detail. It will simply be recalled that such a circuit generally comprises a flexible tube 42 connecting each nozzle 40 to a reservoir 44 containing the liquid, a dosing syringe (not shown) used to withdraw from the reservoir 44 the desired quantity of liquid, then to discharge it towards the vials by the nozzles 40, and valves placed respectively upstream and downstream of this syringe in the tube 42 to isolate the syringe from the nozzles 40 in the aspiration phase, then interrupt the communication between the syringe and the reservoir in the repression phase.

entre les flacons de deux rangées successives. A cet effet, le châssis 38 est monté sur le bâti 46 de la machine de façon à pouvoir se déplacer transversalement par rapport au transporteur 24, c'est-à-dire parallèlement aux rangées de buses ₄0 et de flacons F. Ce déplacement d'un demi pas alternativement dans l'un et l'autre sens est commandé par un système moteur tel qu'un vérin à double effet 48 supporté par le bâti 46.The design of the distribution station 12 must also take into account the lateral offset of half a step

between the bottles of two successive rows. To this end, the frame 38 is mounted on the frame 46 of the machine so as to be movable transversely to the conveyor 24, that is to say parallel to the rows of nozzles ₄ 0 and bottles F. This displacement of a half step alternately in one and the other direction is controlled by a motor system such as a double-acting jack 48 supported by the frame 46.

Thanks to the arrangement which has just been described, a slow advance movement of the conveyor 24 controlled by the geared motor 28 making it possible to bring the next row of bottles opposite the nozzles 40 after filling a row of bottles is added a lateral displacement of these nozzles alternately in one and the other direction de2 'controlled by the jack ₄ 8.

For obvious reasons, the characteristics of the filling station 12 allowing the filling of a complete row of bottles and taking into account the lateral offset between two successive rows of bottles placed in a tray are found at the stopper station 14.

More specifically, the capping station 14 comprises a chassis 50 supporting a row of aligned pushers 52, spaced apart from one another a and arranged transversely relative to the conveyor 24, that is to say parallel to each rows of bottles F. The pushers 52 are oriented vertically and placed respectively opposite each of the bottles of the first row of a tray P when the latter comes into abutment against the corresponding front stop 36. The sinking nbouchers of a row using the n pushers 52 is controlled by a motor system such as a jack 54 supported by the chassis 50.

alternativement dans l'un et l'autre sens est réalisée au moyen d'un système moteur tel qu'un vérin à double effet 56 supporté par le bâti 46.To take into account the staggered arrangement of the vials placed in the successive rows of the same tray, the frame 50 is also supported by the frame 46 of the machine so as to be able to move transversely relative to the conveyor 24, c ' that is to say parallel to the row of pushers 52 and to the rows of bottles. The control of this movement over the distance

alternately in one and the other direction is produced by means of a motor system such as a double-acting cylinder 56 supported by the frame 46.

The stations 18 for supplying plugs B, of form 20 for a row of n plugs spaced apart from the pitch a and for turning over 22 these plugs which are associated with the plugging station 14 will now be described in more detail in detail. referring to Figures 3 to 5.

The station 18 for supplying the plugs B comprises a vibrating bowl (not shown) distributing one by one the plugs turned on a vibrating rail 58 whose only end is shown in FIG. 4. The inverted position of the plugs dispensed by the station supply 18 is explained by their particular shape (see Figures 3 and 5), the upper part of the plug being substantially wider than its lower part. The vibrating rail 58 has the effect of aligning the plugs in contact with each other.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the plugs leaving the vibrating rail 58 are deposited on the upper horizontal part of a belt 60, the advance of which is controlled by a geared motor 62. The belt 60 is oriented transversely relative to the conveyor 24, that is to say parallel to the rows of bottles. With this conveyor belt 60 is associated a retractable stop system 64, the raising and lowering of which are controlled alternately by a cam system 66 mounted on the output shaft of the gearmotor 62.

When the stops 64 are in the low position, they block the plugs entering the conveyor belt 60 independently of the advance of the latter controlled by the geared motor 62. On the contrary, when the stops 64 are in the high position, the plugs B entering the mat 60 advances at the same time as this. The advancement of the belt 60 being carried out continuously during a cycle of formation of a row of n plugs B spaced from step a, it is understood that the alternative raising and lowering of the stops 64 controlled by the cam system 66 have for effect of creating the pitch a between the plugs thus distributed. The interchangeability of the cam system 66 makes it possible to modify the pitch when the diameter of the vials to be filled and capped varies.

A photoelectric cell 68 supported by the frame 46 of the machine controls the stopping of the geared motor 62 when n plugs B spaced apart from the pitch a have thus been distributed. The assembly constituted by the belt 60, the stop system 64 and the photoelectric cell 68 thus constitute the distribution station for a row of n plugs at pitch a.

The station 22 then makes it possible to turn over this row of n plugs and to transfer them from the mat 60 to below the pushers 52 of the capping station 14. The mat 60 being stopped, this station 22 must therefore ensure the gripping of the row of plugs B, then its 180 ° turning.

For this purpose, the station 22 includes a small frame 70 able to pivot relative to the chassis 50 around an axis 72 oriented transversely relative to the conveyor 24, that is to say parallel to the belt 60 as well as to the rows pushers 52 and that in rows of bottles, this axis 72 being furthermore placed halfway between the belt 60 and the row of pushers 52. The 180 ° pivoting of the small frame 70 around the axis 72 is controlled by a geared motor assembly 74 secured to the chassis 50.

At its end, the small frame 70 carries a fixed strip 76 which is placed slightly beyond the row of plugs B arranged on the belt 60 when the frame 70 occupies the gripping position shown in solid lines in FIGS. 3 and 4. The small frame 70 also supports a movable strip 78 notched at step a as illustrated in FIG. ₄ . When the small frame 70 occupies the gripping position, the movable strip 78. is placed opposite the strip 76 and on the other side of the row of plugs B resting on the belt 60. The movable strip 78 is preferably interchangeable so that it can be adapted to the pitch defined by the diameter of the bottles to be filled and capped.

Compression springs 80 interposed between the movable strip 78 and the small frame 70 normally stress the movable strip towards the fixed strip in order to grip the head of the plugs B between the two strips. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the lower and upper parts of which respectively represent the opening and gripping positions of the strip 78, this gripping is accompanied by a sliding of the plugs on the belt 60 which are pushed by the movable strip 78 against the fixed strip 76.

The opening of the gripper consisting of the strips 76 and 78, shown in the lower part of Figure 4; is necessary before gripping the row of plugs. This opening is controlled by an electromagnet 82 which urges the strip 78 away from the strip 76 against the force exerted by the springs 80, by means of a lever 84 pivotally mounted by an axis 86 on the small frame 70.

The electromagnet 82 is itself on the chassis 50, so that it acts on the lever 84 carried by the small frame 70 only when the latter arrives in its gripping position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3. A spring 88 exerting a force much lower than that exerted by the springs 80 permanently keeps the lever 8 ₄ in abutment against a plate secured to the strip 78.

During operation of the machine, the insertion of a row of plugs B using the pushers 52 is preferably carried out simultaneously with the formation of a new row of plugs B spaced apart from step a on the belt 60. When the small frame 70 returns to its gripping position, the electromagnet 82 previously actuated is in a position such that the strip 78 is automatically moved away from the strip 76 just before the strips arrive at the heads of the caps. . The retraction of the rod of the electromagnet 82 immediately has the effect of gripping the row of plugs under the action of the springs 80. The actuation of the geared motor 74 causing the small frame 70 to rotate 180 ° around the axis 72 has the effect of turning over the plugs B and bringing them below the pushers 52. In this position shown in broken lines in FIG. 3 and in exploded perspective in FIG. 5, the strips 76 and 78 come to bear on a bar guide 90 belonging to the stopper station 14. This strip 90 has n holes 92 whose internal diameter is slightly less than the external diameter of the head of the plugs B. In addition, the holes 92 are spaced apart from the pitch a and respectively placed in screws with respect to each of the pushers 52, so that the tilting of the small frame 70 has the effect of bringing each of the plugs B partly into each of the holes 92.

On its underside, the bar 90 also includes guide members constituted for example by pins 94 arranged tangentially to each of the holes 92. As illustrated in particular in FIG. 3, the bar 90 is supported by the chassis 50 so able to move vertically It is normally held in the high position by springs 96, in order to clear the passage of the bottles F mounted on the plates P. When the pushers 52 are lowered, the plugs B are released from the clamp formed by the strips 76 and 78 and their head sinks into the holes 92 of the bar 90. The friction which occurs between the plugs and the bar is calculated so that the latter is then pushed into the low position as we have shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3. In this position, the pins 94 come to cap the necks of the corresponding row of bottles F and thus ensure correct centering of each neck relative to the caps. B which continue to descend under the action of the pushers 52.

Of course, the stroke of the pushers 52 is determined in advance either to ensure complete closure of the bottles, the latter then being ready for use, or to ensure only partial insertion of the caps B onto the bottles F, when these must still be lyophilized.

In order to prevent the movable strip 78 from hitting the pushers 52 when the plugs B are released from the gripping pliers formed by the two strips, there is interposed as illustrated in FIG. 3 a stop 98 between the movable strip 78 and the small frame 70. This stop, preferably adjustable, is adjusted so as not to hinder the gripping of the plugs by the springs 80 while rapidly stopping the movable strip 78 as soon as the plugs are released from the clamp formed by the strips.

Preferably, a lateral marking device (not shown) is provided at each of the stations 12 and 14 in order to take into account at each of the chassis 38 and 50 a possible drift of the plates when they advance on the conveyor. 24.

The machine according to the invention further comprises a storage and unloading station 16 produced in a similar manner to the loading station 10.

More specifically, the station 16 comprises a store 100 and a frame 102 movable vertically and comprising several floors. This frame 102 is placed in the low position at the start of the operation of the machine and rises by one stage each time a tray loaded with filled and capped bottles arrives in the magazine 100. When all the trays initially introduced into the magazine 32 of the loading station 10 have arrived in the magazine 100 of the unloading station 16, a step-by-step descent of the frame 102 allows the operator to evacuate the trays loaded with bottles by a horizontal unloading table 10 ₄ placed in the extension of the outlet end of the conveyor 24 (on the right in FIG. 1

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just been described by way of example, but covers all its variants. In particular, if it is clear that the loading and unloading stations 10 and 16 allow the operator to load and unload the machine without having to take account of the rhythm thereof, operation of the machine according to the invention without these posts can perfectly be considered. Similarly, the turning station 22 can be omitted when the shape of the plugs makes it possible to bring them directly in the right direction.

In the same spirit, the bar 90 ensuring in the embodiment described the centering of the bottles relative to the stoppers could be omitted. The centering can then be obtained by giving the strips 76 and 78 which ensure the gripping of the caps of the appropriate shapes allowing them to come to cap the necks of the bottles after the caps have been turned over.

Finally, the invention is not limited to the case described where the bottles are arranged in a triangular network on the plates, but also covers the case where the bottles are arranged in a square network. There is then no offset between the bottles from one row to the other, so that the machine can be simplified by eliminating the means 48 and 56 making it possible to move the injection nozzles 40 and the pushers 52 from half a step alternately in either direction, in the embodiment described.

Claims (13)

1. Method for filling and capping bottles (F), characterized in that it consists in placing the empty bottles (F) on trays (P) in rows of n bottles distributed according to a determined pitch (a), scroll the trays opposite a filling station (12) comprising n injection nozzles (40) spaced from said pitch to simultaneously fill all the bottles in the same row, then scroll the trays in vis-à-vis a capping station (14) comprising n push-in pushers (52) spaced from said pitch, for simultaneously driving all the plugs (B) of the same row. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that each row of caps (B) is pressed into a corresponding row of bottles (F) after having centered the latter with respect to the caps. 3. Method according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the empty bottles (F) are placed on the plates by shifting by half a step parallel to said rows the bottles of two successive rows, the n injection nozzles (40) of half a step alternately in either direction when a new row of bottles arrives below these nozzles, and the pushing pushers (52) are moved d '' half a step alternately in either direction when a new row of bottles arrives below these pushers. 4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the capping station - (14) is supplied with plugs (B) facing upwards, a row of n plugs separated from said pitch is produced and said row of caps is turned over before pressing these caps into the bottles using said pushers (52). 5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the trays loaded with empty bottles are stored before they are scrolled opposite the filling (12) and capping (14) stations. ) and in that the trays loaded with full and closed bottles are then stored. 6. Machine for filling and capping bottles, comprising a conveyor (24) actuated by control means (28) in order to bring each bottle (F) successively opposite a filling station (12 ) comprising at least one injection nozzle (40) and a closure station (14) comprising at least one pusher - (52) for driving in a plug (B), characterized in that the bottles (F ) are arranged on trays (P) resting on the conveyor by rows of n bottles distributed at a determined pitch (a), the filling station (12) comprising n injection nozzles (40) aligned parallel to said rows and spaced from said not and the post. closure (14) comprising n pushers (52) aligned parallel to said rows and spaced from said pitch and means (18, 64, 66, 68, 22) for bringing n plugs (B) below the n pushers (52). 7. Machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the capping station (14) comprises means (90, 94) for centering the bottles (F) of the row of n bottles located below the n pushers relative to the plugs (B). 8. Machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the means for bringing the nbouchons (B) below the n pushers (52) comprise a station (18) supplying plugs (B) delivering on a carpet d supply (60) of the caps facing upwards, means (64, 66, 68) for spacing n plugs from said pitch on this mat to form a row of n aligned plugs and means (22) for gripping this row of plugs and to turn it over by placing it below said pushers (52). 9. Machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the means for centering the bottles (F) comprise a guide bar (90) provided with a row of aligned holes (92) spaced apart from said pitch and comprising on its lower face guide members (94) tangent to said holes, each hole (92) being placed below a pusher (52) and having a diameter slightly greater than the maximum diameter of the plugs, in order to create a slight friction between the plugs and the holes, said bar being normally held in a high position by elastic means (96), to allow the passage of the bottles, and being moved downward under the effect of said friction when the pushers (52) are lowered, so as to engage each guide member (94) on the neck of a bottle (F) of the row of bottles facing each other. ₁ 0. Machine according to any one of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the means for spacing n plugs of said pitch on the belt (60) comprise a cam system (66) mounted on the output shaft of a control motor (62) of said mat, for alternately controlling the erasure and the positioning of a retractable stop (64) placed on the path of the plugs carried by the mat, and means (68) for detecting the passage n plugs beyond said stop. ₁ 1. Machine according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the means (22) for gripping and turning the row of plugs comprise a frame (50) supporting around an axis (72) parallel to said rows of bottles a frame (70) provided with a fixed strip (76) and a movable strip (78 at least one of which is notched at said pitch), means (74) for pivoting the frame (70) around said axis between a gripping position in which said strips (76, 78) are placed above the belt (60) and a position for driving into which said strips are placed below the pushers (52), elastic means (80) normally urging the movable strip (78) towards the fixed strip (76) to ensure the gripping of the plugs, and means (82, 84) for move the movable strip (78) away from the fixed strip (76) when the frame (70) returns to its gripping position. 12. Machine according to any one of claims 6 to 11, characterized in that, the bottles (F) of two successive rows being offset by half a step on the plate (P), parallel to said rows, the filling station (12) comprises means (48) for moving the nozzles (40) by half a pitch in parallel auxd ⁱ your rows alternately in the one and the other direction, whenever the control means (28) causes a new row of vials below said nozzles, and the capping station (14) comprises means (56) for moving the pushers (52) by half a step parallel to said rows, alternately in either direction , each time the control means (28) bring a new row of bottles below said pushers. 13. Machine according to any one of claims 6 to 12, characterized in that it further comprises a station - (10) for storing trays loaded with empty bottles supplying the conveyor (24) in trays and a station (16 ) storage of trays loaded with full and capped bottles.

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