EP0290649B1 - Device for filling, especially with a liquid or solid fluent medium, a container, especially a cask, closed by a screw-stopper or a stopper shaped otherwise - Google Patents

Abstract

In the fill apparatus, a container feed belt with a lifting frame at the entry end includes container supporting and centering pulleys for displacing the empty container in the horizontal direction by means of alignment pulleys engaging the container rim in order to rotate the container about its longitudinal axis. A first work station arranged above the container includes a rotary disk rotatable about a vertical axis with circumferentially arranged devices participating in the rotary movement of the rotary disk for unscrewing the screw plugs closing the container fill opening, measuring the moisture content and seeking the container's bunghole. A second work station following the first work station includes a filling device. A third work station having a filling device and a following third work station includes devices for screwing the screw plugs on to the container openings and for mounting safety caps. Simultaneous use of the three work stations makes it possible to simultaneously deal with three containers.

Description

The invention relates to a device for filling, in particular a liquid or solid, flowable medium in containers sealed with screw plugs with attached safety caps or other types of sealing plugs, in particular barrels, the filling device arranged in a machine frame having a horizontal transport path for the containers, a container citriding device for lifting and aligning the container with its filling openings on a stopper unscrewing device, a filling device and a stopper screwing device, the container centering device comprising lifting and lowering, arranged on a circular support rollers for the container with radially to the vertical, approximately central container axis of rotation bearing axes and from the container outer wall surface to System bringable alignment rollers with vertical bearing axes, with three alignment rollers are provided, of which mi At least one alignment roller is driven in rotation by a drive device and the other alignment rollers opposite the alignment roller serve as a lateral limit stop for the container and are arranged freely on their bearing axes, the work processes of all devices being combined in one control device.

Devices for simultaneously filling a liquid or solid, flowable medium into containers, such as containers, drums, packs or the like, are known in a wide variety of embodiments.

From DE-A 2 653 608 a device for the automatic filling of standing drums, consisting of a drum conveyor track, to which a decapping machine, a weighing machine, a filling device, a positioning device and a lid closing machine is assigned, is known. In this device, a centering device is arranged for positioning in the area of the barrel conveyor track from a horizontal friction wheel which can be driven in two stages and two horizontally movable pressure rollers opposite this, under which there is a rotating device with rollers which can be raised via the barrel conveyor track and above which a fixed frame is attached a bunghole positioning that can be lowered with its sliding elements onto the upper barrel bottom is attached, which consists of an initiator that can only be adjusted to the orbit of the bunghole, an initiator that can be adjusted to the orbit of the ventilation hole, and an extendable mechanical stop switch, with centering device, rotating device and bunghole positioning via one Control device are linked together. In this device, the barrel to be positioned sits on four rollers arranged on a circular line, whereas the rotary movement of the barrel itself takes place by means of a friction wheel. In addition, two pressure rollers that can be moved forward with compressed air cylinders are provided in the area of the barrel. The four casters on which the barrel to be centered are arranged in a liftable bridge, which is central to the actual one. Centering device. With a filling device designed in this way, it should be possible to align standing drums by means of an automatic positioning device in such a way that the further operations, such as removing the lid and filling, can be carried out without swiveling out the positioning device. In addition, the drive in both directions of rotation of the barrel makes it possible, after stopping, which is triggered by driving over the ventilation hole in overdrive, to approach the exact position in the opposite direction of rotation over a short distance in slow speed. Due to the rotatable mounting of the bunghole positioning, the sliding elements can adapt to the upper barrel bottom, whereby they are pressed on by the weight of the device. By supporting the sliding elements, the distance necessary for switching the initiators should be guaranteed at all times, even on uneven floors.

Since in this filling device a barrel located in the centering device is arranged on raised and lowerable fixed support rollers, which are only freely exposed on their bearing axles, the container cannot be moved horizontally in all directions due to the lack of displaceability of the support rollers along the bearing axis possible, so that a perfect centering and positioning is only possible with a high effort, the greater the weight of the container to be positioned, the greater. Contamination that occurs during the operation of the filling device also complicates perfect centering.

In addition, with this filling device, the working devices, such as bunghole positioning and uncapping, take place in the same workstation in which the centering device is arranged, especially since the centering device and bunghole positioning device must work together, whereas the filling device and the lid closing machine are each subordinate and form independent workstations . The dwell time of the containers in the first work station is relatively long since, in addition to the centering and the bunghole positioning, the end capping also takes place and it is precisely the large dwell time of the containers in this first work station that ultimately determines the working speed of the entire filling device. In addition, the individual working devices are not combined in this filling device in such a way that the working devices can be fed to the filling openings of the barrels in the area of very short distances. Screw plugs, transport tracks, by means of which the screw plugs are conveyed from the removal position into the screw-on position, and also devices that provide the screw plugs with securing caps are not provided.

Such a filling device is known from EP-A 0 105 197, which consists of a pipe power system with a feed pump for the feed tion of the medium to be filled and with filling valves connected via supply lines above the container to be filled, in which in each supply line leading to the filling valves there is a volume chamber with an impeller arranged in the interior of the medium and rotating from the medium flowing to the respective filling valve, whereby the impellers of all volume chambers are rigidly connected to one another via a mechanical shaft which is connected to a braking device which can be controlled by means of a system pressure-dependent control device, a two-stage pneumatic switching cylinder being provided for controlling the filling valves, which is connected directly to at least one filling valve and to the other filling valves via an actuating device is connected, a control element which is responsive to the weight of the filled medium being provided via a balance which is assigned to one of the filling valves and which is connected to the switching cylinder who is connected. With such a filling device it is possible to be able to fill several containers at the same time, only the filling volume or weight of one container needing to be measured and monitored.

According to US-A 3 548 891 a system for simultaneous filling of several containers is known, but using dosing and filling devices in a number corresponding to the number of containers to be filled, each container to be filled having its own filling device. The filling nozzles used in this system enable individual containers to be filled according to the filling volume, which is possible by assigning a filling device to each individual container. However, with this filling device neither the filling volume nor the filling weight of a single container is measured and monitored, so that the filling of the containers is not controlled by the filling volume or the filling weight of a single container. In this filling system, the filling volume or the filling weight for each individual container is monitored and used to control the filling device.

A filling device is known from US Pat. No. 3,205,920 with which containers which are guided past several filling valves can be filled with liquids. The containers to be filled are fed in via a conveyor belt, the forward movement of which is switched off when the number of containers corresponding to the number of filling valves comes to rest under the discharge openings of the filling valves. At this moment, all the filling valves are simultaneously placed on the openings of the containers to be filled via a gate control, the quantity of liquid which is to be filled into the containers then being supplied to the filling valves at the same time via pumps. In order to ensure that the filling valves are evenly placed on the tank openings, all filling valves are attached to a support beam that is held in a vertical guide. This support beam with the filling valves can be moved up and down via the link drive. The filling valves are connected to the pumps via flexible hose lines. With this filling device, too, all containers are filled with liquid at the same time using filling valves, via which the metering is carried out simultaneously.

As is known, drums intended for filling with liquids are delivered with screwed-on sealing plugs. It is therefore necessary to remove them and screw them back on after filling. On the feed belt or the like. The filling device must therefore be precisely aligned with the drums, otherwise there is a risk that the filling material will not flow into the bunghole but next to the drum.

For closing the fill opening of a barrel or the like. with the aid of a device for inserting and fastening a stopper in the filler opening, a closing device is known from DE-A 1 817 237, in which both the device for inserting the stopper and a position determining device are arranged at a distance from one another in such a way that they follow above and below and according to polar coordinates with respect to a fixed point in a plane perpendicular to the upward and downward movement are freely movable. Furthermore, in this known device a gripping device is provided to prevent the free movement of the device for inserting the plug and for determining position together, and a drive device which is suitable for the two devices for inserting the plug and for determining position when the gripping device free movement prevents moving only linearly and forcibly by a distance equal to the distance between the two devices. This locking device has very large dimensions.

Furthermore, from US-A 2 731 185 a plug screwing device with a centering and screwing head is known, which consists of an outer centering ring and a screw head displaceable therein against spring pressure, which is connected to a drive device via a drive shaft with angularly movable joints. In this stopper screwing device, the centering ring is designed and profiled so that when a stopper is screwed into the barrel bung hole, it is supported on the upper circumferential edge of the barrel bunghole connector and is therefore adapted to the dimensions and the diameter of the barrel bunghole connector.

In addition, EP-A 0 065 180 describes a plug-in screwing device for barrels with a centering and screwing head, consisting of an outer centering ring and a screwing head arranged in the interior thereof and displaceable against spring pressure, which is connected to a drive device via a drive shaft having angularly movable joints is known. This plug-in screwing device consists of a support frame and an upper support plate and a lower support plate, on which a centering plate is arranged, which is provided with a cross-shaped opening and which limit the opening Inner wall surface tapers conically in the direction of the centering and screwing head and merges into a vertical wall section on the bottom side, the inside diameter of the recess delimited by the wall section being larger than the diameter of the drive shaft, with a correspondingly profiled shaped body in the opening with a direction toward the Centering and screwing head conically tapering outer wall surface is used, the shaped body at its bottom end carrying the centering ring which is supported on the barrel cover plate during the plug centering and screwing process and is connected to a section lying on the centering plate with a guide plate which is connected to at least three on the lower support plate of the support frame, the guide pin is held longitudinally displaceably and pivotably against the pressure of springs, and wherein the drive shaft consists of a shaft part connected to the drive device and a Sch predator-bearing shaft part, both shaft parts are connected via a double universal joint.

All filling systems work in the same way, namely that after aligning the container to be filled by means of a screwing device, the screw plug is unscrewed from the filling opening of the container, gripped and placed on a conveyor belt which runs parallel to the feed path of the container to be filled. On this transport path, the individual screw plugs picked up by the screwing device and delivered to the conveyor belt are brought into a new position parallel to the feed movement of the containers to be filled, in which the screw plug is screwed into the filling opening of the filled container, the screwing device also being used on this forward movement for the screw plugs can participate if no second screw device is provided. If the screw stopper is unscrewed, the empty container is conveyed to a filling station on a transport path and remains there until the container is filled with the corresponding filling material. The filled container then runs into the screw-plug screw-in position, in which the screwing device is kept ready, in which position securing caps can be supplied at the same time, which are placed on the screw plug screwed into the filling opening of the filled container by means of a corresponding device. In such a filling system, three work cycles are provided, namely in the first cycle the barrel is aligned and the screw plug is unscrewed from the filling opening. In the second cycle, after a further advance of the container prepared in this way, the container is filled, and in a third cycle after a further advance of the filled container, the filling opening is closed by means of a screw plug and, if necessary, the securing cap is put on. A bottling plant designed and working in this way has relatively large dimensions, even if satisfactory working speeds are achieved. In addition, the performance of such a filling system depends on the filling time and the number of work cycles. In addition, it is not necessary in such filling systems that the containers have to be aligned precisely with the screwing device and the filling device. An extremely precise alignment of the containers is only required for the placement of safety caps on screw plugs that have already been screwed in.

The invention solves the problem of creating a filling device for containers, in particular barrels of the type described in the introduction, in which the removal of the sealing plugs, the measurement of moisture, the filling of the empty containers, the insertion of the sealing plugs into the filling openings of the filled containers and the Fitting safety caps can be carried out in such a way that high work rates are achieved.

This object is achieved by the features characterized in claim 1.

With a filling device designed in this way, it is possible to economically fill containers provided with screw plugs, in particular barrels, and to do the entire process, such as centering the container to be filled on the feed path, unscrewing the sealing plug from the filling opening, inserting a moisture measuring probe into to drain and unite the interior of the container, the filling of the container, the screwing of the sealing plug into the filling opening of the filled container and the placement of safety caps on the screwed-on or screwed-in sealing plug, so that several containers from the workstations of the Filling device can be operated without there being a large number of work cycles in which the containers for the individual manipulations have to linger over longer periods of time.

By dividing the work processes into three work stations, it is possible to treat three containers at the same time, so that the empty container standing in the first work station is initially aligned so that its filling opening, which is closed by means of a screw plug, is in the swivel range of that on the turntable of the first work station Arranged devices, such as stopper unscrewing device, bunghole locating device and moisture measuring probe come to rest, while the container that has preceded this container is located in the second work station and is filled here, while the container that has preceded and already filled is treated in the third work station in that the plug is screwed on and a safety cap is placed, the safety caps being removed from a supply of safety caps, while the screw plugs are being removed from a conveyor belt from which those in the first work screw plugs unscrewed from the containers.

The container feed takes place in a single cycle, ie the transport path for the containers always moves forward in the cycle by the section that corresponds to the Corresponds to the diameter of a container, so that containers are assigned to all three work stations at the same time.

Due to the fact that the containers are grasped at their bottom, circumferential edge for aligning the individual containers, no high force needs to be applied, since the container only rotates slightly from its standing surface, i.e. to rotate the container. is lifted off the chain straps. The container is rotated about its longitudinal axis for alignment purposes by means of the alignment rollers on the support rollers on which the container rests with its base plate. The fact that the support rollers are arranged on a circular line in such a way that their bearing axes are radially extending, and that the support rollers are longitudinally displaceable on their bearing axes, makes it possible for the support rollers to center and shift towards the center, so that the container can be moved horizontally in all directions for alignment purposes. Because the container sits on the support rollers, the bottom-side friction on the lifting frame is extremely low, so that an exact alignment of the container while simultaneously centering the container filler opening is possible. It is particularly advantageous here to use the support rollers, which form the sliding surface for the container, on which the container can be displaced in all directions without the need for great force. It is also advantageous that after a rough centering by means of the alignment rollers, a fine centering is carried out by inserting the probe-shaped moisture measuring probe by means of the centering mandrel of the container.

The detection of the container for alignment purposes at its bottom peripheral edge provides the advantage that the container is at its most stable point, i.e. is detected in the area which has the greatest inherent rigidity, so that wall surface deformations are avoided by detecting the container, which is the case with the known devices.

The operating devices for the containers, which are combined in the first and in the third work station, are arranged such that they can be rotated about vertical central axes in such a way that only the smallest distances are covered. The fact that two screwing devices are used, by means of which the screw plugs are unscrewed from the filling openings of the supplied empty containers and the filled containers are again provided with screw plugs, makes it possible to treat two containers simultaneously and to fill another container.

If safety caps are placed on the screwed-in screw plugs, then a corresponding device is provided on the turntable of the second work station, by means of which the safety caps supplied to the filling device are individually picked up and transported to the plug-on position, this plug-on position representing the position in which the filling opening is filled Container of the screw plug has been screwed on.

With a filling device designed in this way, a performance increase of 20% is achieved compared to filling devices in which all three work stations are combined in a single work station. Around 75 fillings per hour can be achieved with the filling device, which has three workstations.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the transport path for the containers has a length which corresponds to four times the diameter of a container. Furthermore, three filling stations are also provided in this filling device, but the middle working station located between the two outer working stations has two filling devices arranged one behind the other and two weighing scales in the area of the transport path, with a weighing device being assigned to each filling device. Rough filling is carried out by means of one filling device and fine filling by means of the second filling device until the desired filling state is reached. In the first work station, the container is aligned by means of the stopper unscrewing device, the sealing plug sitting on the filling opening is unscrewed, then the bunghole search device comes into operation and after the final alignment of the container, the moisture measuring probe is pivoted into the area of the filling opening of the container. The container thus prepared is then fed to the middle work station, namely its first filling device. A rough filling takes place here, the filling quantity being monitored by means of a balance. Then the filling takes place up to the desired filling state by means of the second filling device of this middle work station, this filling also being monitored in terms of weight by means of a balance. The filled and not yet closed container is then fed to the third work station. The plug is screwed onto the filling opening by means of the plug screwing device and then a safety cap is placed on the screw plug by means of the device for receiving and fitting safety caps. The feeding of the individual containers and the workflow takes place in individual cycles, i.e. there is a gradual advance of the individual containers to the individual work stations or to the two filling devices of the middle work station. Since four containers can be treated and processed at the same time with this filling device, a high work output can be achieved. About 100 fillings per hour can be achieved with this filling device.

Furthermore, the invention provides a further embodiment of a filling device, in which the transport path for the containers has a length which corresponds to 6 times the diameter of a container. This filling device also has three work stations which are arranged one behind the other, the work station located between the two outer work stations having two filling devices arranged one behind the other and two one behind the other Scales in the area of the conveyor track, wherein each filling device is assigned a scale. An empty space of the length of the diameter of a container is provided between each filling device and the upstream outer work station and the downstream outer work station, the containers in the filling position taking up a position raised by the transport path. By means of the two filling devices, it is possible to fill two containers at the same time, the filling quantities supplied to the two containers being monitored by means of the two scales. For the filling process, the containers below the two filling devices are lifted together out of the transport path so that a further inflow of containers and a further outflow of filled containers can be carried out. The two containers are filled at the same time via the filling devices, so that after the filling process has been completed, the two filled containers are advanced so far that the foremost filled container comes to rest below the third work station, while the other filled container takes up the empty space in front of the third work station . At the same time, two new, prepared empty containers are fed to the two filling devices of the middle work station. This filling device works alternately with single strokes and double strokes, whereby a very high work output can be achieved. About 130 fillings per hour can be achieved.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims.

• Fig. 1 in einer Ansicht von oben die Abfüllvorrichtung mit ihren drei Arbeitsstationen und mit in den Arbeitsstationen angeordneten Behältern in den jeweiligen Bearbeitungspositionen,
• Fig. 2 in einer Ansicht von oben einen Teilabschnitt der Transportbahn der Abfüllvorrichtung mit den Abstützrollen mit einem auf diesen aufgesetzten Behälter mit an der Behälteraußenwandfläche anliegenden Ausrichtrollen,
• Fig. 3 teils in einer Seitenansicht, teils in einem senkrechten Schnitt die Abfüllvorrichtung mit den drei Arbeitsstationen in derjenigen Arbeitsstellung, bei der die Feuchtigkeitsmeßsonde in den Innenraum eines leeren Behälters eingeführt, ein weiterer zu befüllender Behälter mit seiner geöffneten Einfüllöffnung im Bereich des Füllstutzens der Fülleinrichtung angeordnet ist und ein dritter gefüllter Behälter im Bereich der dritten Arbeitsstation steht,
• Fig. 4 teils in einer Seitenansicht, teils in einem senkrechten Schnitt die Abfüllvorrichtung mit der ersten Arbeitsstation in derjenigen Arbeitsstellung, bei der die Schraubeinrichtung oberhalb des abzuschraubenden Schraubstopfens eines Behälters angeordnet ist,
• Fig. 5 eine Vorderansicht der Abfüllvorrichtung,
• Fig. 6 in einer Seitenansicht eine weitere Ausführungsform der Abfüllvorrichtung mit einer seitlich verschwenkbaren Fülleinrichtung,
• Fig. 7 in einer Seitenansicht die seitlich verschwenkbare Fülleinrichtung,
• Fig. 8 in einer Seitenansicht in vereinfachter Wiedergabe die mit drei Arbeitsstationen arbeitende Abfüllvorrichtung,
• Fig. 9 in einer Ansicht von oben die Abfüllvorrichtung gemäß Fig. 8,
• Fig. 10 in einer schematischen Seitenansicht eine Abfüllvorrichtung mit drei hintereinanderliegend angeordneten Arbeitsstationen, wobei die mittlere der drei Arbeitsstationen zwei Fülleinrichtungen umfaßt,
• Fig. 11 in einer Ansicht von oben die Abfüllvorrichtung gemäß Fig. 10,
• Fig. 12 in einer schematischen Seitenansicht eine Abfüllvorrichtung mit drei hintereinanderliegend angeordneten Arbeitsstationen, wobei die mittlere der drei Arbeitsstationen zwei Fülleinrichtungen umfaßt, wobei zwischen den Fülleinrichtungen und der ersten Arbeitsstation und der dritten Arbeitsstation je ein Behälterleerplatz vorgesehen ist und
• Fig. 13 in einer Ansicht von oben die Abfüllvorrichtung nach Fig. 12.

In the following the subject matter of the invention is explained in the drawings. It shows

• 1 is a top view of the filling device with its three work stations and with containers arranged in the work stations in the respective processing positions,
• 2 is a top view of a section of the transport path of the filling device with the support rollers with a container placed thereon with alignment rollers resting on the outer surface of the container,
• Fig. 3 partly in a side view, partly in a vertical section, the filling device with the three workstations in the working position in which the moisture measuring probe is inserted into the interior of an empty container, another container to be filled with its open filler opening in the area of the filler neck of the filling device is arranged and a third filled container stands in the area of the third work station,
• 4 partly in a side view, partly in a vertical section, the filling device with the first work station in the working position in which the screwing device is arranged above the screw plug of a container to be unscrewed,
• 5 is a front view of the filling device,
• 6 is a side view of another embodiment of the filling device with a laterally pivotable filling device,
• 7 is a side view of the laterally pivotable filling device,
• 8 is a side view in a simplified representation of the filling device working with three work stations,
• 9 is a top view of the filling device according to FIG. 8,
• 10 shows a schematic side view of a filling device with three work stations arranged one behind the other, the middle of the three work stations comprising two filling devices,
• 11 is a top view of the filling device according to FIG. 10,
• 12 shows a schematic side view of a filling device with three work stations arranged one behind the other, the middle of the three work stations comprising two filling devices, a container empty space being provided between the filling devices and the first work station and the third work station, and
• 13 is a top view of the filling device according to FIG. 12.

1, 10 and 12, three embodiments of devices for filling, in particular a liquid medium into containers sealed with screw plugs, in particular barrels, have, in addition to a basic construction described in more detail below, three work stations 50, 250, 350 arranged one behind the other, to which the individual containers are fed and in which the individual containers are prepared, filled and sealed, which will be discussed in more detail below.

1 to 5 and designated 10 for filling, in particular a liquid medium into containers closed with screw plugs, in particular barrels, consists of a horizontal transport path 20 arranged in a machine frame 200, on which the screw cap 110 closes and empty containers 100 are fed, 20 additional feed belts can be connected upstream of this transport path. In the same way, the conveyor track 20 is followed by further discharge belts, so that the length of the conveyor track 20 is limited exclusively to the area of the filling device 10, the length of the conveyor track 20 corresponding to three times the diameter of a container or barrel 100. The container 100 consists of the actual container body with the container wall 104, an upper cover or cover plate 101, a filling opening 102 formed therein with an internal thread for screwing in a screw plug 110 made of metal or plastic and a base plate 103, the circumferential, projecting edge of which with 106 and their peripheral edge with 106a. The central axis of rotation of the container is indicated at 107 (FIGS. 4 and 5).

The transport path 20 is formed by two chain belts 21, 22 which are arranged at a distance from one another and rotate in the direction of the arrow X. The two chain straps 21, 22 are guided over deflection rollers, not shown in the drawings, which are mounted in the machine frame 200 (FIG. 5), which receives the filling device 10. The chain belts 21, 22 are driven via driven deflection rollers over which the chain belts are guided. In Fig. 3, the two deflection rollers of the chain belt 21 at 24, 25 are indicated. The upper strands of the two chain bands 21, 22 are designated 21 a, 22a and the lower strands 21 b, 22b (FIG. 5). The two chain belts 21, 22 are driven by a drive device indicated at 23 which, in coordination with the individual work processes, controls the advance of the individual containers in the direction of arrow Y so that the containers are fed to the individual work stations. The advance transport of the containers takes place in cycles and the decommissioning of the circulating chain belts 21, 22 and also the distribution time are controlled via a control device (not shown in the drawing) within which the two chain belts 21, 22 must remain out of operation in order to enable the individual operating sequences on the to be able to carry out three work stations 50, 250, 350 supplied containers.

Furthermore, the filling device 10 comprises a device 30 with which the individual containers 100 can be lifted slightly from the chain belts 21, 22 from the upper runs 21a, 22a of the two chain belts 21, 22 (FIG. 5).

This device 30 consists of a lifting frame 31 which can be raised and lowered in the direction of the arrow X1, this vertical movement of the lifting frame 31 taking place by means of lifting devices indicated by the arrows 32 in FIG. 5, which can be driven hydraulically, pneumatically or by an electric motor.

The container 100 to be lifted and aligned is gripped by this lifting frame 31, which is arranged between the two chain belts 21, 22 or their upper strands 21 a, 22 a and the container 100 to be lifted and aligned on its peripheral edge 106 a of the container base plate 103 or at its formed in the area of the container bottom plate 103, encircling and laterally projecting edge, the lifting frame 31 executing only a very small stroke, since it is only necessary that the container 100 of the upper runs 21a, 22a of the during the alignment process out of operation set chain belts 21, 22 is raised in order to rotate the container 100 by means of the lifting frame 31 or by means of alignment rollers 40, 41, 42 about its longitudinal axis 107 in such a way that its filling opening 102, which is closed with a screw plug 105, is screwed onto the screwing device 60 which is pivoted into the container advance path below still close r described workstation 50 is aligned.

Furthermore, the device 30 comprises at least three lifting rollers 34, 35, 36 which can be lifted together with the lifting frame 31 and are arranged between the upper runs 21 a, 22 a of the two chain belts and which lie on a circular line indicated at 33 in FIG. 2. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, three support rollers 34, 35, 36 are provided on which the container 100 is supported when the container 100 is gripped by the lifting frame 31 and the container is rotated about its vertical central longitudinal axis 107 for alignment. The diameter of the circular line 33 on which the three support rollers 34, 35, 36 lie corresponds approximately to the diameter of the container 100. However, this circular line 33 can also have a smaller or larger diameter. It is essential that the support rollers 34, 35, 36 lying on the circular line are arranged so that the container 100 to be aligned is supported with its base plate 103 on these support rollers 34, 35, 36 (FIG. 5).

The arrangement of the three support rollers 34, 35, 36 is as shown in Fig. 2, that is, the three support rollers are arranged between the upper runs 21a, 22a of the two chain belts 21, 22, the support roller 34 lying in the container inlet direction while the two other support rollers 35, 36 lie on the section of the circular line 33 that runs between the upper runs 21 a, 22 a of the two chain belts 21, 22, these two support rollers 35, 36 then lying on the side facing away from the inlet direction for the containers 100 .

All three support rollers 34, 35, 36 are free-floating on bearing axes 37, 38, 39 mounted in the machine frame of the filling device 10, all three bearing axes running radially to the vertical, approximately central axis of rotation 107 of the container, as can be seen from FIG. 2, ie , The extensions of the three bearing axles 37, 38, 39 meet at the center 33a of the circular line 33. Each of the support rollers 34, 35, 36 is freely displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the bearing axis due to its free-floating arrangement on its bearing axis 37, 38, 39, so that due to this displaceability, the support rollers 34, 35, 36 automatically. Center towards the center 33a of the circular line 33 so that a container 100 standing on the support rollers 34, 35, 36 can be displaced horizontally in all directions, so that a fine centering and alignment of the container with its filling opening is possible. The bearing axles 37, 38, 39 for the support rollers 34, 35, 36 have corresponding lengths so that the support rollers have a sufficient displacement path. The free displacement of the support rollers 34, 35, 36 is indicated in Fig. 2 by the arrows X2.

In that the lifting frame 31 has the container 100 to be aligned in its bottom region, i.e. in the area that has the greatest inherent rigidity and strength, deformation or deformation of the container, in particular its container wall 104, is avoided, so that thin-walled containers 100 can also be filled by means of the filling device 10.

The device 30 further comprises the alignment rollers 40, 41, 42, which are arranged in the peripheral region of the container 100 standing on the support rollers 34, 35, 36, in such a way that the alignment rollers are located on the outer wall of the container Support surface 104 or on the circumferential edge 106a of the container base plate 103, that is to say brought into contact in these areas, it being particularly advantageous if the alignment rollers 40, 41, 42 also come into contact with the circumferential edge 106 of the container 100, since the peripheral edge 106 of the container has the greatest inherent rigidity and strength and is hardly subjected to any deformation when pressure is exerted on the peripheral edge 106 from the outside (FIG. 4).

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, three alignment rollers 40, 41, 42 are provided, of which the alignment roller 40 is arranged outside the chain belt 22 and the two other alignment rollers 41, 42 are arranged outside the chain belt 21. The bearing axes 40a, 41a, 42a of the three alignment rollers 40, 41, 42 are arranged in a vertical position in the machine frame 200 of the filling device 10.

Of the three aligning rollers 40, 41, 42, the aligning roller 40 is preferably driven in a rotating manner by means of a drive device indicated at 45 in order to be able to rotate the container 100 about its vertical central axis 107. The container 100 is then supported on the two other alignment rollers 41, 42 during rotation, the container rotation movement being supported by the alignment rollers 41, 42. All three alignment rollers 40, 41, 42 can be swiveled in and out in the direction of the arrows X3, X4, X5 by means not shown in the drawing, such as support arms or the like. By means of these alignment rollers 40, 41, 42, the container 100 is also aligned laterally, in that the alignment rollers are brought into a position in which the alignment rollers on the container wall 104 or on the circumferential, bottom-side edge 106 or on the bottom, circumferential edge 106a of the container 100 come to rest, in the latter case the lifting frame 31 is designed in such a way that the positioning of the aligning rollers is not hindered, the pivoting position of the three aligning rollers 40, 41, 42 being such that during the pivoting-in of these aligning rollers to the system to the container 100, the container is shifted on the support rollers 34, 35, 36, while the container is lifted at the same time by means of the lifting frame 31 from the upper runs 21 a, 22 a of the chain belts 21, 22. The lifting frame 31 is designed in such a way that the container is supported on the lifting frame 31 with its peripheral edge 106 on the bottom so that when the container 100 is rotated about its central longitudinal axis 107, the container can also move on the lifting frame 31. The friction that occurs is extremely low, since the container weight is essentially supported on the three support rollers 34, 35, 36 and, due to the design of the support rollers, is shifted horizontally thereon, this total alignment of the container 100 via the alignment rollers 40, 41 , 42 takes place. The alignment rollers are preferably spring-loaded in order to obtain a sufficient contact pressure.

All components which comprise the container lifting device 30 can be combined in one structural unit, so that the lifting frame 31, the support rollers 34, 35, 36 and the alignment rollers 40, 41; 42 are arranged in a frame in such a way that all three components work together and enable the container to be aligned precisely.

The alignment rollers 40, 41, 42, which are brought into abutment on the circumferential edge 106a or on the circumferential edge 106 of the container 100, can all be driven circumferentially using suitable drive devices, but the circumferential directions of all alignment rollers are then the same. The drive devices for the alignment rollers 40, 41, 42 are combined in a control unit, not shown in the drawing, which cooperates with a scanning device 171 described in more detail below.

The devices for unscrewing the screw plugs from the filling openings of the containers, for searching for the bung hole, for measuring the moisture in the empty containers are combined in a first work station 50, which is part of the filling device 10. The plug unscrewing device, which is designed in a manner known per se, is designated by 60, the bunghole search device by 70 and the moisture measuring probe by 80.

All of these devices 60, 70, 80 are designed in a manner known per se. The bunghole search device 70 can be designed as an optical or electronic or opto / electronic scanning device. However, it does not need to be an integral part of the work station 50, but can also be arranged in the region of the leading path of the empty containers to the first work station 50, which will be discussed in more detail below.

The devices 60, 70, 80 of the first work station 50 are combined on a support plate 170, which is an integral part of the machine frame 200 of the filling device and which is arranged above the transport path 20 at a distance above it, the distance between the transport path 20 and the Support plate 170 corresponds at least to the height of the container 100 to be filled, so that the container 100 can be easily passed under the support plate 170 on the transport path. The support plate 170 is arranged in the machine frame 200 of the filling device 10 (FIGS. 1 and 3). The support plate 170 preferably extends at least over the entire length of the transport track 20.

Arranged below the support plate 170 in the inlet area of the container is a scanning device 171, which is used as a proximity switch, as a photoelectric element, e.g. Photo cell or the like, is formed and which serves to control the alignment rollers 40, 41, 42 (Fig. 4). The empty container entering the filling device 10 with the screw stopper still screwed into its filling opening is raised slightly from the transport path 20 by means of the lifting frame 31. The alignment rollers 40, 41, 42 are then brought into contact with the circumferential edge 106 or the circumferential edge 106a of the container 100.

When these alignment rollers 40, 41, 42 are put into operation, ie when these alignment rollers are driven in rotation, the container 100, which is held on the one hand by the lifting frame 31 and on the other hand is supported with its base plate 103 on the support rollers 34, 35, 36 aligned with the aid of the scanning device 171 with respect to its filling opening and brought into the position in which the filling opening of the container with the screw plug comes to rest in the working area of the plug unscrewing device 60 or the moisture measuring probe 80, so that when the screwing device 60 is lowered the The screw head of the screw device comes to rest on the screw stopper of the container, grips it and unscrews it from the thread of the filler opening. This precise alignment of the container is controlled via this scanning device 171.

On the upper side of the support plate 170 there is arranged a disk 72 which can be rotated about a vertical axis 73 and which is supported adjacent to its peripheral edge on roller or roller bearings. The turntable 72 is rotated by means of a drive device indicated at 75. In the middle, the turntable 72 has an opening, preferably a circular opening 74, and carries in the region of this opening 74 an upwardly extending support piece 76 designed as a hollow cylinder (FIGS. 3 and 4).

In the circumferential area of the turntable 72, an opening 77 is formed in the support plate 170, which opening is used to receive and pass the devices 60, 70, 80 (FIGS. 3 and 4). This opening 77 in the support plate 170 is assigned to the forward movement of the empty containers, so that when a container is introduced into the area of the first work station 50, the closed filling opening of the container comes to rest in the area of this opening 77 in the support plate 170, so that devices 60, 70, 80 can then be guided through this opening 77 in the work sequence required in each case.

The turntable 72 carries the device 60 for unscrewing the screw plugs, the bunghole search device 70, if necessary, and the moisture measuring probe 80. To accommodate this device, the turntable 72 carries vertical, columnar guides 162, 172, 182 on which the devices 60, 70, 80 are displaceable in the direction of the arrows X6, X7, X8. This movement of the devices 60, 70, 80 on the guide columns 162, 172, 182 takes place by means of drive devices not shown in the drawing.

The guide columns 162, 172, 182 carry guide carriages 161, 171, 181 with laterally projecting arms at the free ends of which the devices 60, 70, 80 are arranged, so that when the guide carriages 161, 171, 181 are moved vertically on the guide columns 162, 172, 182 the facilities 60, 70, 80 participate. The opening 77 in the support plate 170 is arranged so that when the devices 60, 70, 80 have been brought into their working position by rotating the turntable 72, these are aligned with these devices 60, 70, 80, so that these devices by the Opening 77 in the support plate 170 can be passed. The opening 77 therefore faces the inlet area of the containers. The guide columns 162, 172, 182 can also be connected via connecting webs to the support piece 76 of the turntable 72, which is advantageous for stabilization purposes.

If the turntable 72 is rotated, the devices 60, 70, 80 also take part in this rotation.

In the area of the vertical axis of rotation 73 of the turntable 72 there is a further support column 180, i.e. arranged centrally to the turntable 72, which is guided with its bottom end 180a through the central opening 74 in the turntable 72. This support column 180 is firmly connected at its bottom end 180a to the support plate 170 and can therefore not participate in the rotation of the turntable 72. The turntable 72 is then ring-shaped and runs around the fixed support column 180. This support column 180 is arranged in the interior of the hollow cylindrical support neck 76 of the turntable 72 and is led out of the support neck 76 with a section 180b. At this section 180b of the support column 180, a filling device 90 is arranged as a second work station 250, which comprises a filling nozzle 91 (FIG. 3), which is connected via a metering device (not shown in the drawing) to a storage container which contains the filling material. This filling device 90 of the second work station 250 is arranged above the support plate 170, an opening 77a being provided in the support plate 170, through which the filler neck 91 can be lowered and introduced into the interior of the container to be filled. However, the filling device 90 does not need to be fastened to the support column 180, but there is also the possibility of providing the turntable 72 with a central support connection 76, on which the devices 60, 70, 80 are arranged, while the filling device 90 is on one separate support socket can be arranged, which is connected to the turntable 72 with the devices 60, 70, 80 of the first workstation 50.

The guide columns 162, 172, 182 for the devices 60, 70, 80 can also be an integral part of the support piece 76 of the turntable 72 or this support piece 76 can be provided with corresponding guides on its outer wall surface, which then guide slides 161, 171, 181 for the devices 60 , 70, 80 record.

Due to this configuration, only the devices 60, 70, 80 take part in the rotary movement of the turntable 72, whereas the filling device 90 does not take part in the rotary movement of the turntable 72, since the filling device 90 is not connected to the turntable 72, but rather in that Support column 180 is held, which is fixedly attached to the support plate 170, or is attached to another support column shown in Fig. 6, the most vertical on the support plate 170 arranged and the work station 50 is connected downstream with the turntable 72.

Furthermore, the removal device 10 comprises a further, namely the third work station 350, which has the plug screwing device 360 and the device 370 for receiving and fitting securing caps 120 onto the screw plugs already screwed into the container filling openings. This third work station 350 consists of a turntable 372 which can be rotated on the support plate 170 in the container outlet region about a vertical axis 373 by means of a drive device 375 and which carries a central vertical support connection 376, on or on which vertical guides 362, 372 'arranged on the turntable 372 Plug screwing device 360 and the securing cap attachment device 370 are arranged to be vertically displaceable by means of laterally projecting, radially extending, on guide carriages 363, 373 ', an opening 78 for passing through the device 350 in the support plate 170 in the area facing the container outlet area and in the center of the advance path of the container. 370 is provided. This third work station 350 is connected downstream of the second work station 250 (FIG. 3).

In the area of the transport path 20, the filling device 90 of the work station 250 is assigned a scale 255, by means of which the filling device 90 can be controlled, in such a way that when the filling quantity weight set on the weighing device 255 is reached, the further inflow of filling material is then achieved is interrupted in the filling device 90. The scale 255 is designed so that the dead weight of the empty container is detected before the filling process and recorded in a memory, not shown in the drawing, in which the weight of the required amount is also entered so that when the required amount is reached Filling quantity via the scale 255 the further inflow of filling material is interrupted. Instead of a scale 255, other types of devices can also be provided, by means of which the filling quantity is monitored and recorded. For example, also the possibility to use level sensors. When using a scale 255, an additional device, not shown in the drawing, is provided in the region of the transport path 20, by means of which the container to be filled is slightly raised for the filling process, in order then to be operatively connected to the scale 255 in the raised state.

The screw plugs are fed to the plug screwing device 360 of the third work station 350 via a plug transport path 400 which runs parallel to the transport path 20 for the containers and which is arranged in the machine frame 200 of the filling device 10. The stopper end 400a of the transport path 400 is arranged in the swivel range of the stopper unscrewing device 60 of the first work station 50, while the stopper end 400b of the stopper conveying path 400 lies in the swivel range of the stopper screwing device 360 of the third work station 350, so that the stopper unscrewing device 60 unscrewed it from the container filling openings Screw plug after swiveling the plug unscrewing device 60 into the region of the transport path 400 from the plug unscrewing device 60, the detected screw plug is delivered to the transport track 400. By means of this transport path 400, the screw plug of the plug screwing device 360 pivoted into the region of the transport path 400 is then fed to the third work station 350. The stopper screwing device 360 detects the individual stoppers and, after pivoting into the stopper screwing position, the screw stopper is then screwed by means of this stopper screwing device 360 into the filling opening of the container or onto the filler neck of the container provided with an external thread (FIG. 9). The transport path 400 for the screw plugs is designed as an endless transport belt which is rubbed around the circumference. The screw plugs unscrewed from the empty containers that are introduced into the work station 50 are then screwed back into the fill openings of the containers in the third work station 350 by means of the plug screwing device 360.

Furthermore, a further transport path 190 is provided parallel to the transport path 20 for the containers, and preferably in an extension of the plug transport path 400, for the supply of safety caps 120 to the device 370 of the third work station 350. By means of this device 370, the safety caps 120 supplied on the transport path 190 are grasped and, after carrying out a corresponding pivoting movement of the device 370, brought into the region of the filling opening of the filled container which has already been closed with a screw plug and then also placed on the screw plug by means of this device 370 . The supply of the safety caps 120 to the device 370 for fitting the safety caps onto screw plugs which have already been screwed in is indicated at 190 in FIG. 1. The safety caps 120 are fed from a storage container 191 to the device 370 via this transport track or feed track 190, which can be designed as a rotating belt, when this device has been pivoted into the area of the feed track 190 and assumes a position in which the individual safety caps received by the device 370 and then after the device 370 has been moved into the mounting position, the safety caps are placed on the screw plugs. The securing caps can be arranged in the form of stacks in the storage container 191. The individual security caps are unstacked by reversible security cap inserts, which are designed in a manner known per se, as are also used for unstacking deep-drawn lids. The individual safety caps can be unstacked from the safety cap stack by pushing off the individual safety caps. It is also possible to unstack the individual safety caps by unwinding them with conveyor spirals.

The plug unscrewing device 60 and the plug screwing device 360 are used for containers whose filling openings are closed by means of screw plugs. If press-in sealing plugs are used instead of screw plugs, the devices 60, 360 will have a corresponding design in order to pull the sealing plugs out of the filling openings of the containers and to press them into them by means of pressure. The plug unscrewing device 60 and the plug screwing device 360 can be of the same design in so far as they are devices which are simultaneously capable of screwing in screw plugs and unscrewing screw plugs. If such devices are used in the first work station 50 and the third work station 350, then these devices will only carry out the required work processes which are necessary for unscrewing and screwing in the plugs.

In the embodiment of the filling device shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the filling device 90 is not part of the first work station 50 and is connected to the support column 180, but is fastened to the machine frame 200 of the filling device or to the support plate 170 so that it can be swiveled in and out laterally, whereby in the latter case the support plate must have a correspondingly large opening so that the filling device 90 can be pivoted into the filling position. The filling device 90 can be designed to be pivotable into and out of the filling position; however, it is also possible to arrange the filling device 90 in a stationary manner. If the filling device can be pivoted in and out, then the pivoting takes place about the pivot point indicated at 95 in FIG. 7.

The filling device 10 works as follows:

A container B1 is retracted on the transport track 20 until the container comes to rest below the first work station 50 (FIG. 8). By means of the lifting frame 31, the container is raised slightly from the upper runs 21a, 22a of the chain belts 21, 22 of the stationary transport path 20, the lifting frame 31 capturing the peripheral edge 106 or the bottom peripheral edge 106a of the container.

At the same time, the container is supported on the support rollers 34, 35, 36 raised together with the lifting frame 31, wherein these supporting rollers 34, 35, 36 can be an integral part of the lifting frame 31. The alignment rollers 40, 41, 42 are then placed against the circumferential edge 106 or the circumferential edge 106a of the container, the alignment roller 40 already representing the lateral limitation during the alignment process for the container, i.e. the alignment roller 40 represents a fixed stop. Then the two further alignment rollers 41, 42 are adjusted so that the container comes to rest between the alignment rollers 40, 41, 42 (FIGS. 2 and 5).

If the alignment rollers 40, 41, 42 or only the alignment roller 40 is driven, then the container is rotated and displaced about its longitudinal axis 107 and to this extent until its fill opening 102 with the screw plug 110 still in the fill opening corresponds to the one shown in FIG 6 shown position below the turntable 72 and below the front opening 77 in the support plate 170. The entire alignment process is controlled via the scanning device 171 or via 170 and corresponding control elements, not shown in the drawing, in which all drive devices of the device of the work stations are brought together. The individual work processes are then controlled in the required order by these control elements or the control device. A further possibility of controlling the alignment process is possible via the bunghole search device 70, which is pivoted by rotating the turntable 72 over an area in which the bunghole or the filling opening 102 of the empty container is located. It is advantageous if the screw plug has been unscrewed from the fill opening 102 of the container beforehand with the plug unscrewing device 60, so that the bunghole search device 70 can be used. Instead of the bunghole search device 70 provided in the work station 50, the alignment can also be carried out via the scanning device 171, wherein all the control elements required for carrying out the alignment processes and the associated drive devices can be brought together in a control unit, via which the individual work processes in each case required order.

The thus prepared and roughly aligned container B1 then takes the position shown in FIG. 8 below the work station 50. It should be noted that when a continuous filling process is carried out in front of the container B1, a container B2 has already been inserted, which assumes the position shown in FIG. 8 in front of the container B1, this position being the filling position below the second work station 250 acts (Fig. 6).

If the container B1 has assumed the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the turntable 72 is rotated in the direction of the arrow X11 until the screwing device 60 has assumed the position A in FIG. 9 and in this position above the screw plug of the empty container B1 comes to a standstill. The screwing device 60 is lowered with its screw head onto the screw stopper of the container B1. The screw plug is gripped and unscrewed by means of a rotary movement about a vertical axis from the thread of the filler neck which forms or delimits the filler opening of the container.

The screwing device 60 then moves upward and takes the screwed-out screw plug with it. This is followed by a further section-wise rotation of the turntable 72 in the direction of the arrow X11, so that the screwing device is moved out of the position A to the bottom sition A the bunghole locator 70 has been moved. If the screw device 70 is moved further in the direction of the arrow X11 from the position A, the bunghole search device 70 follows the rotary movement. If no bunghole locating device 70 is provided, then when the turntable 72 is rotated and the screwing device 60 is pivoted out of position A, the moisture measuring probe 80 is pivoted into position A, so that the moisture measuring probe 80 has then assumed the position shown in FIG. 6 , which position is position A in FIG. 9. The moisture measuring probe is thus lowered through the container filling opening 102 into the interior of the empty container, at the same time, by means of this moisture measuring probe 80, a further alignment, ie fine centering, takes place by means of the re-centering mandrel 81 provided on the moisture measuring probe 80, which surrounds the probe 80 and which when the probe is retracted Moisture measuring probe 80 the filling opening or the bung hole of the empty container exactly centered. In this process, the alignment rollers 40, 41, 42 are released from the container edge so that the container can move freely on the supports 34, 35, 36. The re-centering mandrel 81 (FIG. 6) with the outer diameter fits exactly into the opening of the container filling opening. In this position, the lifting frame 31 lowers and sets the container aligned on the chain conveyor 21, 22. However, the moisture measurement probe 80 can also be omitted. In this case, only the re-centering mandrel 81 is provided, which takes the place of the moisture measuring probe 80 and is automatically inserted into the container filling opening by means of appropriate drive means.

When the turntable 72 is rotated and the screwing device 60 is pivoted sideways at the same time, the screwing plug captured by the screwing device 60 is placed on the transport path 400 and fed to the screwing-in device 360 of the third work station 350.

The container B1 thus prepared is then fed to the work station 250 and its filling device 90 in such a way that the filler neck 91 of the filling device 90 comes to rest in the region of the filling opening 102 of the empty container B2. At the same time, the container B2 is supported on the scale 255 of the work station 250. The filling takes place and after the filling has been completed the filled container is fed to the third work station 350 by means of the switched-on transport path 20. 6 and 8, the filled and not yet closed container is designated B3. In this position of the container B3, the screw plug, which is gripped by the transport path 400, is placed and screwed onto the filling opening 102 of the container by means of the plug screwing device 360. After the turntable 372 has been rotated about its vertical axis 373, the plug-in screwing device 360 is then pivoted out of the screw-in position and the securing cap attachment device 370 connected to the turntable 372 is pivoted into the region of the plug-in screw-in position. The device 370 has previously removed a securing cap 120 from the feed path 190 and places this securing cap on the screw plug. After the container B3 is closed in this way, the container B3 is moved out of the filling device, the containers following the container B3 being simultaneously introduced into the corresponding work stations 50 and 250 and 350, the individual containers being forwarded in cycles, so that after each container has reached a work station and the corresponding work processes have been carried out in this work station, the container is then fed to the subsequent work station. By means of this filling device 10, three containers can be processed simultaneously by means of the three work stations 50, 250, 350 (FIGS. 8 and 9). The turntables 72, 372 can be moved back and forth. The devices 360, 370 are at an angle to one another such that when the device 360 is in the region of the transport path 400, the device 370 is in the region of the inlet path 190.

The filling device 10a shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is constructed in a similar manner to the filling device 10, the filling device 10a also having a first work station 50, a second work station 250 and a third work station 350. The difference from the filling device 10 is that the work station 250 of the filling device 10a has two filling devices 90, 290 and two scales 255, 255a assigned to these filling devices. The transport path 20, on which the containers are guided past the work stations 50, 250, 350, has at least four times the length of the diameter of a container. The design of the transport track 20 and the device 30 for lifting the individual containers 100 from the chain belts 21, 22 of the transport track 20 as well as the work stations 50 and 350 are designed in accordance with those of the filling device 10. The workflows that are carried out in the two workstations 50, 350 correspond to those of the filling device 10a in the filling device 10a, with the only difference that by forming the working station 250 with two filling devices 90, 290 in the filling device 10a, four containers simultaneously B1, B2, B3, B4 can be equipped and treated. 10 and 11, the three workstations 50, 250, 350 are arranged one behind the other in the forward direction of the containers, which also applies to the two filling devices 90, 290. In the same way as for the filling device 10, the screwing plug 60 is unscrewed from the container B1 in the first work station 50 and placed on the transport path 400, from which the individual screw plugs are received by the plug screwing device 360 of the work station 350 and onto the filling opening of the filled container are screwed on. The same is also provided in the filling device 10a for securing caps 120 to be placed on the screwed-on screw plugs, the feed tion of the safety caps 120 by means of the feed path 190 to the work station 350.

The two filling devices 90, 290 are designed such that a rough filling is initially carried out via the filling device 90, while a fine filling is carried out via the filling device 290, ie the quantity of liquid or liquid still missing is added to the container via the filling device 290 to reach the specified total filling quantity. The scale 255 assigned to the filling device 90 is set such that a quantity of filling material is fed to the container which is still below the actual target value, so that by means of the filling device 290 still as much filling material is supplied to the container until the target weight set on scale 255a or specified for this scale is reached.

The filling device 10a according to FIGS. 10 and 11 works as follows: The container B1 is fed to the filling device 10a and stopped in the area of the work station 50. Here, as described above, the container B1 is aligned, the screw stopper sitting on the filling opening is unscrewed by means of the plug unscrewing device 60 and placed on the transport path 400, while the bunghole search device 70 moves into the region of the filling opening of the container B1 and with it the container filling opening detected, while the liquid measuring probe 80 is then pivoted and lowered into the area of the filling opening of the container B1, with the liquid measuring probe 80 also allowing the container to be re-centered. After the moisture measuring probe 80 has been removed, the container B1 is then fed to the first filling device 90 of the second work station 250, stopped in the area of this work station 250 in such a way that the container at B2 is filled via the filling device 90, but the predetermined target weight is not achieved , but the filling quantity entered in the container B2 is below the target weight, which corresponds to the total filling quantity in the container. The control of the filling material inflow is carried out by weight-based detection by means of the balance 255 or other suitable devices with which the respective filling level or the predetermined upper filling level is monitored.

If the container B2 is filled with filling material, the container B2 is fed to the second filling device 290 of the work station 250. In this position, the original container B1 is indicated at B3. In this position below the filling device 290, the container is then filled to the predetermined target weight or to the predetermined target quantity, the control again taking place here via the balance 255a. If the container B3 is filled, it is forwarded to the third work station 350, in which the filling opening is closed with a screw plug by means of the plug screwing device 360. A securing cap 120 is attached by means of the device 370 provided in the work station 350. The container is designated B4 in this treatment position. As the container B1 passes through the individual stages B2, B3, B4, new empty containers enter the filling device 10a, so that when the containers are gradually advanced from the first work station 50 to the first filling device 90 and from there to the second filling device 290 and from this to the third work station 350, the containers pass through all the individual work stations, so that four containers standing on the transport track 20 can be prepared, treated and loaded at the same time, which contributes to a high work performance of the overall filling device 10a.

12 and 13 show a further embodiment of a filling device, designated 10b, in which the transport path 20 for the containers 100 has a length which corresponds approximately to six times the diameter of a container. In this filling device 10b too, the construction and design of the transport track 20 corresponds to that of the filling device 10 and 10a. The same container alignment device is also provided in the filling device 10b, as are the transport tracks 400 for the screw caps and 190 for the securing caps.

Furthermore, the filling device 10b comprises a first work station 50 with the plug unscrewing device 60, the bunghole locating device 70 and the moisture measuring probe 80, and further at the end of the pass-through path the third work station 350 with the plug screwing in device 360 and the device 370 for receiving and fitting securing caps. Between these two work stations 50, 350, the work station 250 is arranged, which is designed corresponding to the work station 250 of the filling device 10a. The two workstations 50, 350 in the filling device 10b are designed in accordance with those of the filling device 10. The workstation 250 also includes the two filling devices 90, 290 and the scales 255, 255a assigned to the two filling devices in the filling device 10b. Between the first work station 50 and the first filling device 90 of the work station 250 and between the second filling device 290 of the work station 250 and the third work station 350, a container empty space 500 or 510 is provided, each empty container space 500, 510 approximately the diameter of a container 100 corresponds so that containers can be parked in these empty spaces 500, 510. The length of the transport path 20 in the filling device 10b is dimensioned such that six containers can be arranged one behind the other on the transport path, it being advantageous if a corresponding distance is formed between the individual containers, the distances between the individual containers also being predetermined by the arrangement of the work stations 50, 250, 350. The same also applies to the transport paths of the filling devices 10 and 10a, which are dimensioned accordingly in relation to the number of containers to be accommodated in each case. In addition to the transport path 20, the filling device 10b has the transport path 400 for the screw plugs and the feed path 190 for the securing caps 120. The workstations 50, 350 are according to the trained work stations described above. They have the same work processes. The construction of the filling devices 90, 290 provided in the work station 250 correspond to the filling devices of the filling device 10a, but with the difference that the containers are completely filled via the filling devices 90, 290. Scales 255, 255a are assigned to both filling devices 90, 290. In the area of the two filling devices 90, 290, the transport path 20 is designed such that the containers can be raised for the filling process. This lifting takes place by means of devices which are designed in a manner known per se, such as, for example, additionally guided lifting chain belts which are connected to the scales 255, 255a, but in such a way that both scales 255, 255a can carry out the weighing of the filling material independently of one another. Both the filling device 90 and the filling device 290 serve to completely fill the containers assigned to them. Since the filling of two containers by means of the filling device 90, 290 takes place at the same time, it is necessary that the containers are lifted together by the transport path 20 for the filling process and during the filling process, so that the transport path can be moved independently of the filling process to bring containers in to be able to transfer the other workstations, which will be discussed in more detail below.

The filling device 1 whether according to FIGS. 12 and 13 works as follows:

The containers assigned to the individual work stations or filling devices and the empty spaces 500, 510 are designated B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6. First, the container B1 runs into the filling device 10b and comes to stand below the first work station 50. In this work station 50, the container B1 is aligned, the screw plug is unscrewed from the filling opening of the container by means of the plug unscrewing device 60, the container filling opening is detected by means of the bunghole locating device 70 and then the liquid measuring probe 80 is then inserted into the container interior and then pulled out again. The container B1 prepared in this way is then conveyed into the subsequent empty space 500 and takes on the position there as container B2, while at the same time another container runs into the filling device 10b, which remains below the first work station 50 in order to be treated there in the same way , like the previous container, which is now in position B2. The two containers B1, B2 are not yet filled in the position shown in FIG. 13. Then the two containers B1, B2 are jointly advanced until the two containers come to rest below the filling device 90, 290 of the second work station 250. The containers then assume the container positions at B3, B4 shown in FIG. 13. Both containers B3, B4 are lifted simultaneously for the filling process. The transport track 20 is then moved forward in a single cycle in order to feed a new empty container to the work station 50 and to be able to move the container, which has then been freed from the screw plug, into the empty space 500, whereupon another container then simultaneously enters the work station 50, so that again take two prepared and empty containers B1, B2 in the position shown in FIG. 13. If the two containers B3, B4 are filled, both containers are lowered together onto the conveyor belt and are advanced together until the containers B3, B4 in FIG. 13 assume the position that the containers B5, B6 take, then the container B6 is located in the region of the third work station 350 and here the screw plug is screwed on by means of the plug-in screwing device 360 and the securing cap is then fitted by means of the device 370. The container B6 is closed here while the container B5 is still not closed. Simultaneously during the joint advance of the two filled containers B3, B4 into the container position B5, B6, the two containers B1, B2 run into the filling position below the two filling devices 90, 290 and assume the position B3, B4 shown in FIG. 13. For the filling process, the two containers standing in the area of the filling devices 90, 290 must then be raised again, while the transport path 20 then advances by one cycle, so that the as yet unsealed but filled container B5 is moved into the region of the work station 350 in order to be closed there to become. During the advancement of the container B5 into the container position B6, the closed and filled container B6 then runs out of the filling device 10b. The advancing container B5 is then closed in the work station 350 and the securing cap is put on. The transport track 20 then runs in single cycles and sometimes in double cycles in order to ensure a continuous filling process.

Claims (7)

1. Device for filling a medium, especially a liquid or solid fluent medium into containers (100), more particularly casks closed by a screw stopper (110) with fitted screwing caps (120) or with otherwise constructed stoppers, in which the filling device (10) disposed within a machine frame (200) comprises a horizontal conveying means (20) for the containers (100), a container centering means (30) for raising and aligning the containers with their filling apertures (102) on a stopper unscrewing means (60), a filling means (90) and a stopper screwing-in means (360), in which the container centering means (30) consists of raisable and lowerable supporting rollers (34 35, 36) for the container disposed on a circular line (33) with bearing axes (37, 38, 39) extending radially to the vertical, approximately central container axis of rotation (107), and of aligning rollers (40, 41, 42) that can be brought to bear upon the container outer wall area (104) with vertical bearing axes (40a, 41 a, 42a), in which three aligning rollers (40, 41, 42) are provided, of which at least one aligning roller (40) is revolvingly driven with the aid of a driving means (45), and the other aligning rollers (41, 42) located opposite the aligning roller (40) serve as lateral limit stop for the container (100) and are arranged so as to float freely on their bearing axes (41a, 42a), in which the operating cycles of all the means are combined into a control unit, characterized in that the horizontal conveying means (20) for the containers (100) possess a length which corresponds to at least three times the diameter of a container and consists of two endless chain belts (21, 22) arranged spaced apart from each other that are driven and which guide the container with their top running chain sections (21a, 22a), in that the container centering means (30) is disposed between the top running chain sections (21 a, 22a) of the two chain belts (21, 22) and consists of a hydraulically, pneumatically or electromo- tively powered (32) raisable and lowerable hoisting frame (31) with the supporting rollers (34, 35, 36) and the aligning rollers (34, 35, 36) seizing the individual container (100) at its revolving and laterally projecting edge (106) within the area between the two chain belts (21, 22), in which the supporting rollers (34, 35, 36) which are raisable and lowerable with the hoisting frame (31) are, on their bearing axes (37, 38, 39), freely displaceable in the longitudinal direction of their bearing axes and automatically center themselves towards the center (33a) of the circular line (33), so that a container (100) standing on the supporting rollers (34, 35, 36) is displaceable in all directions in the horizontal, in that a working station (50) provided with a stopper unscrewing means (60) for the screw stoppers (110), with a bung hole locating device (70) and with a moisture measuring sensor (80) constructed in the form of a recentering means, or, in lieu of the moisture measuring sensor, with a recentering means for the container filling aperture consisting of a horizontal supporting plate (170) disposed over the conveying means (20) at a distance above the same which corresponds at least to the height of the container (100) and which extends across the length of the conveying means (20), beneath which a scanning means (171) for detecting the screw stoppers of the arriving empty containers, which is constructed in the form of a proximity switch, photoelectric element or the like, and which serves to center each empty container on the means (60, 70, 80) of the working station (50) disposed above the container infeed path (20), and which consists of a turntable (72) which is rotatable on the supporting plate (170) within the container arrival area about a vertical axis (73) with a central vertical supporting stud (76), on which, or on the turntable (72) itself, vertical guideways (162, 172, 182) are disposed, as well as stopper unscrewing means (60), the bung hole detecting means (70) and the moisture measuring sensor (80) being arranged so as to be vertically displaceable at an angular position relative to each other by means of laterally projecting and radially extending arms mounted on slide carriages (161, 171, 181), in that, after the first working station (50), a second working station (250) is inserted with a filling means (90) with a filler neck (91) that can be displaced in the vertical direction or be swivelled into the container bung hole, which is disposed on the supporting plate (170) in such a way that the filler neck (91) of the filling means (90) is centrally arranged in the container advance path, in that the second working station (250) comprises a scale (255) fitted underneath the conveying means (20), the filling means (90) and the scale (255) being arranged opposite each other and inserted after the first working station (50) in such a way that the container that moves ahead of the container which stands in the stopper screwing-in position, assumes the filling position, in that the supporting plate (170) is provided with a perforation (77a) for passing through the filler neck (91), in that, after the second working station (250), a third working station (350) with a stopper screwing-in means (360) and with a means (370) for picking up and fitting securing caps (120) on to the stoppers screwed into the container apertures, wherein the third working station (350) consists of a turntable within the container delivery area about a vertical axis (373) with the aid of a driving means (375), the turntable (372) being provided with a central vertical supporting stud (376), on which, or on the turntable (72) itself, vertical guideways (362, 372') are disposed as well as the stopper screwing-in means (360) and the securing caps fitting means (370) being arranged so as to be vertically displaceable at an angular position relative to each other by means of laterally projecting and radially extending arms mounted on slide carriages (363, 373'), wherein, in the supporting plate (170), within the area facing the container infeed and centrally to the path of advance of the containers, a perforation (77) for the travelling though of the means (60, 70, 80) is provided, the third working station (350) being inserted after the second working station (250) in such a way that the container which moves ahead of the container standing in the filling position, assumes the stooper screwing-in position, in that a stopper conveying means (400) extending parallelly to the conveying means (20) for the containers is provided, the stopper infeed end (400a) of which is located within the swivelling range of the stopper unscrewing means (60) of the first working station (50), and the stopper delivery end (400b) of which is located within the swivelling range of the stopper screwing-in means (360) of the third working station (335), and in that there is provided a conveying means (190) extending parallelly to the conveying means (20) for the containers and located so as to form an extension of the stopper conveying means (400) for supplying the securing caps (120) to the means (370) for picking up and fitting the securing caps (120) accommodated in the third working station (350), which, as well as the stopper screwing-in means (360), are disposed in an angular position relative to each other in such a way that, at the stopper screwing-in means (360) located within the area of the stopper conveying means (400), the means (370) for picking up and fitting the securing caps (120) comes to be located within the area of the conveying means (190), in which, subsequent to the aligning of the empty container that has arrived in the filling device (10), with its screw stopper, lowers the latter onto the screwing means (60) assuming the stopper unscrewing position of the first working station (50), the same is lowered onto the screw stopper, the stopper being unscrewed therefrom, is lifted from the filling aperture of the container and is deposited on the screw stopper conveying means (400), the bung hole detecting means (70) is activated and the moisture measuring sensor (80) is introduced into the container interior and withdrawn from the same, hereupon the empty container from which the screw stopper has been removed is supplied to the second working station (250), here the container is filled with the aid of the filling means (90), the filled container is then supplied to the third working station (350), in which the screw stopper removed from the screw stopper conveying means (400) is, with the aid of the stopper screwing-in means (360), by swivelling the screwing-in means (360), brought into the stopper screwing-in position and is screwed into the container aperture and the securing cap (120) removed from the conveying means (190) is, with the aid of the means (370), fitted to the screwed-in screw stopper.

2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the conveying means (20) for the containers (100) has a length which corresponds to the fourfold diameter of a container, and in that the working station (250) located between the two other working stations (50, 350), comprises two consecutively arranged scales (255, 255a) within the area of the conveying means (20), one scale (255, 255a) being assigned to each filling means (90; 290) and in which, with the aid of the filling means (90), a coarse filling, and, with the aid of the filling means (290), a fine filling is effected until the target filling state is reached.

3. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the conveying means (20) for the containers (100) has a length which corresponds to the sixfold diameter of a container, and in that the working station (250) located between the other two working stations (50, 350) comprises two consecutively arranged filling means (90, 290) and two consecutively arranged scales (255, 255a) within the area of the conveying means (20), one scale (255, 255a) being assigned to each filling means (90; 290), and in that, between each filling means (90; 290) and the respective inserted-in-front working station (50) and the inserted-behind working station (350), an empty space (500; 510) having the length of the diameter of one container is provided, in which the containers, in the filling position, assume a position raised by the conveying means (20), while at the same time the other containers are supplied to the individual working stations (50, 350), or are moved into the empty spaces (500, 510), respectively.

4. Device according to the Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the moisture measuring sensor (80), on its circumference, at a distance from its free end, is provided with a recentering spike (81) which extends conically to the free end of the moisture measuring sensor (80) and which, when the moisture measuring sensor (80) is introduced into the container aperture, engages into the same, the aligning rollers (40, 41, 42) being detached from the container rim so that the container, with the aid of the recentering spike (81), is displaceable on the supporting rollers (34, 35, 36) and is aligned.

5. Device according to the Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, on the turntable (72), in lieu of the moisture measuring sensor ((80), the recentering spike (81) is provided which can be made to travel in the vertical direction with the aid of a driving means.

6. Device according to the Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the working station (50)

a) consists of a horizontal supporting plate (70) disposed over the conveying means (20) at a distance above the latter which corresponds to at least the height of the containers (100), beneath which a scanning means (171) is mounted for detecting the screw stoppers of the arriving empty containers which is constructed in the form of a proximity switch, a photoelectric element, etc., and which serves to control the aligning rollers (40, 41, 42) for centering each empty container on the means (60, 70, 80) of the working station (50) disposed above the container conveying means (20);

b) of a turntable (72) that is rotatable on the supporting plate (70) about a vertical axis (73) with the aid of a driving means (75), the turntable (72) being provided with a central perforation (74) and with a, in extension of the perforation (74), upwardly extending, vertical supporting stud (76), on which, or on the turntable (72) itself, vertical guideways (162, 172, 182) are arranged, while the stopper unscrewing means (60), the bung hole detecting means (60) and the moisture measuring sensor (80) are disposed so as to be vertically displaceable in an angular position to each other by means of laterally projecting arms secured to slide carriages (161, 171, 181), in which, in the supporting plate (170), within the area facing the container infeed and centrally to the container path of advance, a perforation (77) for passing through the means (60, 70, 80) is provided, and

c) of a supporting column (180) which is passed through the interior of the supporting stud (76) and through the perforation (74) in the turntable (72) and which, with its bottom end (180a), is rigidly connected to the supporting plate (70), the supporting column (180) being passed out of the supporting stud (76) of the turntable (72) with a section (180b) which supports the filling means (90).

Images