FR2467173A1 - Wine bottle washing filling and corking machine - has sloping conveyor with washing station at feed end and filling station at delivery end - Google Patents

Abstract

The bottle filling machine, particularly for wine, includes a loading station (10) a washing station (14), an unloading station a filling station (18) and a discharge station. At the loading station, the bottles are reversed and placed over sleeves (11) on a conveyor (12). This conveyor has twelve side by side belts. Immediately following the belt drum are sets of washing liquid injectors (15) which are lifted towards the sleeves for a short period of time to ensure efficient rinsing. The conveyor carries the bottles fowards and upwards to allow liquid to be discharged, then they are inverted around the return drum at a higher level, guided by a curved sheet (17). Rows of bottles are successively deposited onto a table (19) which is lowered so that each row (22) can be pushed backwards by a horizontal pusher (20) under the filler tubes. The table is then raised to the filling position and lowered for transfer onto a take-off conveyor (26) for delivery to a corking mechanism (27) and second take-off conveyor.

Description

 The present invention relates to an automatic machine for bottling liquids and in particular wine, comprising a bottle loading station, a rinsing station, a filling station, a bottle closing station, an unloading station, means for transporting the bottles from the loading station to the filling station and means for transporting the bottles from the filling station to the unloading station.

 We already know automatic stations for bottling wine bottles. However, they are generally less complete and do not allow simultaneous, continuous and high-speed rinsing, filling and capping operations of a series of, for example, twelve bottles arranged in the same row. In particular, the bottles are usually rinsed apart, prior to their introduction onto the bottling line.

On the other hand, the known filling stations include a filling tube which pours the wine at the level of the neck of the bottle. This causes significant mixing of the wine and the air contained in the bottle, and promotes the volatilization of sulfur dioxide, which plays an important role as a preservative in wine. On the other hand, this method of filling the bottle causes foam which must then be allowed to settle, which considerably increases the time for filling the bottles.

Furthermore, the cork fitting stations usually include three movable jaws which enclose the peripheral surface of the cork, to compress it and put it in place in order to stop the bottle.

These jaws are obligatorily greased and are at the origin of the deposit of fatty particles on the corks, these particles of grease being sometimes found in the bottle of which they are likely to alter the contents. In addition, compression of the stopper by three jaws frequently results in the formation of folds in the peripheral surface of the stopper, which is the cause of the leakage observed on certain bottles.

The present invention proposes to remedy these various drawbacks by producing an improved bottling line, associating the treatment of the bottles and in particular their rinsing, with the actual bottling.

 For this purpose, the machine according to the invention is characterized in that the means for transporting the bottles from the loading station to the filling station include means for intermittently moving, in the inverted position, a series of bottles arranged in parallel rows , means for simultaneously inverting the bottles of the same row and depositing them on a horizontal plate movable vertically, means for simultaneously displacing horizontally the bottles of the same row on said horizontal plate, drive means for lifting the tray carrying all of the bottles in a row to the filling station, and means for returning the horizontal tray to its initial position, and in that the means for transporting the bottles from the filling station to the unloading include conveyor belts to bring the filled bottles one by one under a corker and to move them r then, after being closed, successively towards the unloading station.

According to a preferred embodiment, the machine comprises a rinsing station which is arranged on the path followed by the bottles, between the loading station and the place where the bottles, initially overturned. have returned. This rinsing station comprises at least one series of injectors arranged in a row identical to the row of bottles at the outlet of the loading station, perpendicular to the direction of movement of these bottles. These nozzles are arranged to be able to follow, over a predetermined distance, the movement of the bottles and to carry out rinsing for a period corresponding to several steps of intermittent movement of the bottles.

The automatic bottle filling station preferably includes a series of filling units arranged in a line, so that each unit coincides with the mouth of a bottle in each row.

Each unit comprises a filling tube connected to a reservoir and arranged to be introduced into the bottle to be filled, so that the filling orifice is close to the bottom of the bottle. On the filling tube is mounted a solenoid valve and a sensor ring fixed at the height of the predetermined filling level of the bottle. An electronic circuit connects the detector ring to the solenoid valve to operate the closing of this valve, when the level of wine in the bottle has reached the predetermined filling level corresponding to the position of the ring. The sensor ring and the solenoid valve are removably mounted on the filling tube, to allow adaptation of the filling station to the different types of bottles used. To allow the residual content of the filling tube to flow after closing the valve and before the complete withdrawal of the bottle, this tube has a lateral opening arranged between the filling orifice and the solenoid valve, and preferably just below the solenoid valve. The filling opening is preferably beveled to avoid foaming during the filling operation.

The capper preferably has five jaws arranged in a horizontal plane, radially around the stopper positioned to be introduced into the neck of the bottle. This device is arranged to simultaneously exert radial pressure on the peripheral wall of the stopper, at the time of its introduction into the bottle. Each of the jaws has a first axis close to its anterior end, intended to bear on the lateral face of the stopper and secured to a fixed central annular flange, and a second axis secured to an external annular flange, concentric with said first flange, the second outer flange being rotatable relative to the central flange. The rotation of the outer flange causes the jaws to pivot, which brings them closer and presses them on the peripheral surface of the stopper placed on the corker.

The present invention will be better understood with reference to the description of an exemplary embodiment and the attached drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 represents an overall schematic view in elevation of the machine according to the invention,
FIG. 2 represents a top view of the machine of FIG. 1, illustrating in particular the operation of the means of transporting the bottles during their movement inside the machine,
FIG. 3 represents a schematic view of a filling unit used in the machine of FIG. 1,
FIG. 4 represents a partial view of the compression jaws of the plug in the capper used in the machine of FIG. 1, and
Figure 5 shows a partial sectional view along the line
AA of fig. 4.

 With reference to fig. 1, the automatic machine for bottling wine has a loading station 10 into which the bottles are introduced manually or mechanically, in the inverted position, on sleeves carried by a transport chain 12 driven in the direction of arrow A by a drive wheel 13. As shown more precisely in fig. 2, each of the sleeves actually corresponds to a row of sleeves 11, for example twelve in number, each of which receives a bottle to form parallel rows of twelve bottles treated simultaneously.

 A rinsing station 14 preferably comprises a double series of injectors 15 shown diagrammatically, which are arranged to move in the direction of the double arrow B, in order to accompany the bottles for several steps of their intermittent advance in the direction of arrow A, and to return to their initial position.

 The bottles transported by the transport chain 12 arrive in a station 16 for overturning the bottles, equipped with a ramp 17 which guides the bottom of the bottles during their overturning.

The filling station 18 comprises a horizontal plate 19 movable vertically in the direction of the double arrow C. It also comprises a pusher 20, actuated mechanically or by a hydraulic cylinder or dull tire in the direction of the double arrow D , and whose role will be specified below. At each cycle, the first row of bottles, represented schematically by the reference 21, is taken over by the plate 19 brought into its high position 19 ', lowered following the downward movement of said plate 19, to occupy the position 22 shown in dotted lines . This row of bottles 22 is then pushed back by the pusher 20 into position 23, then brought back into position 24, which constitutes its filling position proper, following the upward movement of the plate 19. Of course, this second upward movement allows made the plate 19, in its position 19 ', to take over the second row of bottles 25.

 After filling them, which will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 3, the bottles in row 23 are moved by the action of the pusher 20 and brought to a conveyor belt 26, below the capper (not shown), then driven by a conveyor belt 27 and finally a conveyor belt 28 to unloading stations.

 Fig. 2 schematically represents the arrangement of the bottles from their installation on the machine until their unloading. The loading station 10 provides for the constitution of parallel rows comprising for example twelve bottles, which will be rinsed at the rinsing station 14 by a double series of injectors or nozzles 15 and 15 '. Up to the filling station 18, the bottles are brought simultaneously row after row. On leaving this station, they are pushed back onto the conveyor belt 26 which moves them one by one perpendicular to the direction of their movement through the preceding stations. They are then moved by the conveyor belt 27 under the capper, then brought to the unloading station by the conveyor belt 28, which moves them in a direction opposite to that of the conveyor belt 26.

With reference to fig. 3, each unit for filling a bottle 30 comprises a filling tube 31, the upper end of which is connected to a reservoir 32 shown diagrammatically, and the discharge orifice 33 of which is bevelled so as to avoid the formation of foam, is introduced near the bottom of the bottle. In reality, the reservoir 32 and the filling tube 31 are fixed and the bottle is brought into the position presented by the vertical displacement of the plate 19 towards its position 19 '(FIG. 1). The lower part of the filling tube 31, that is to say that which is introduced into the bottle 30, is connected to the upper part connected to the reservoir 32 by a solenoid valve 34, composed of a valve 35 (shown diagrammatically) and an electromagnet 36 powered by electric wires 37. The lower part of the tube 31 is made of a conductive material and carries an insulating sleeve 38, on which is mounted a detector ring 39 made of a conductive material and connected to I solenoid valve 40.

 These various elements are arranged in such a way that, when the level rises in the bottle until reaching the sensor ring 39 which can be adjusted in height, as well as the solenoid valve 34, to allow adaptation to different formats of bottles, the electrical circuit, comprising the tube 31 and the sensor ring 39, closes, which has the effect of closing the solenoid valve 34 and preventing the liquid from the reservoir 32 from flowing into the bottle 30. The fact of introducing the filling tube at the bottom of the bottle makes it possible to fill very quickly and avoid foaming. However, if during filling, there is formation of foam which overcomes the liquid level, this foam will close the conduction circuit between the tube 31 and the sensor ring 39, causing the solenoid valve 34 to close. this foam will cut the circuit, which will cause a reopening of the valve 34, until the circuit is closed again caused by the arrival of the upper level of the wine contained in the bottle in contact with the detector ring 39 This filling device therefore allows extremely precise filling of the bottles. In addition, so that the volume of wine represented by the volume of the lower part of the filling tube 31 can flow freely when the bottle is withdrawn, this tube is provided with an opening 41 located preferably located directly below the solenoid valve 34.

 Fig. 5 shows a partial view of the head of the capper.

This comprises five jaws 50 arranged radially in a horizontal plane and pivotable around two series of vertical axes 51 and 52. The vertical axes 51 are integral with a fixed central annular flange 53 and preferably itself integral with a support 54 (fig. 5). The pivot axes 52 are integral with a second flange 55 concentric with the previous one and that can be turned around the central flange 53, for example by means of an operating rod 56. When a plug 57 is placed in the center of the flange 53 , the jaws 50 being in their position represented at 50 ′ by dashed lines, the heads of the jaws are not in contact with the side wall of the plug 57. When it is rotated, by means of the operating rod 56, the movable flange 55, the jaws 50 rotate around the pivot axes 51, to occupy their position shown in solid lines and compress the lateral surface of the plug 57, the diameter of which will shrink until it occupies position 57 ' , inside the circle 57 representing the plug in its initial position. Unlike the devices of the prior art, this device does not require any lubrication at the level of the anterior part of the jaws, which avoids transposition of the fat from the capper onto the corks and finally inside the bottles. as the bearing surfaces are regularly arranged in relatively large numbers of vultures around the periphery of the stopper, the deformation of the latter takes place regularly, which prevents the bottles from pouring after the stopper has been put in place.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment, it is not limited to this embodiment, but can undergo different modifications and come in different variants obvious to those skilled in the art . For example, as shown more particularly in FIG. 1, the transport chain 12 may include a toothed wheel or roller 12a, serving as a tensioner and defining a substantially horizontal zone parallel to the lower end of the ramp 17, arranged to horizontally position the outlet of the bottles and their deposit on the tray 19.

Claims (11)

1. Automatic machine for bottling liquids, in particular wine, comprising a bottle loading station, a rinsing station, a filling station, a bottle closing station, an unloading station, means for transporting the bottles from the loading station to the filling station and means for transporting the bottles from the filling station to the unloading station, characterized in that the means for transporting the bottles from the loading station to the filling station include means for intermittently moving, in the inverted position, a series of bottles arranged in parallel rows, means for simultaneously turning the bottles in the same row and depositing them on a horizontal tray which can be moved vertically, means for simultaneously moving the bottles horizontally '' the same row on said horizontal plate, drive means for lifting the pla sheet carrying all the bottles in a row to the filling station, and means for returning the horizontal tray to its initial position, and in that the means for transporting the bottles from the filling station to the unloading include conveyor belts to bring the filled bottles one by one under a corker and then move them, after being closed, successively to the unloading station. 2. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one rinsing station disposed on the path followed by the bottles, between the loading station where the bottles are put in the inverted position and the place where the bottles have returned. 3. Machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the rinsing station comprises at least one series of mobile injectors arranged in a row and arranged to follow, over a predetermined distance, the movement of the bottles, in order to rinse them for a period corresponding to the duration of several steps of intermittent movement of the rows of bottles. 4. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for horizontally moving the bottles in a row on said horizontal plate comprise a pusher. 5. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the automatic bottle filling station comprises a series of filling units arranged in line, so that each unit coincides with the mouth of a bottle in each row, each unit comprising a filling tube connected to a reservoir and arranged to be introduced into the bottle to be filled, so that the filling orifice is close to the bottom of the bottle, a solenoid valve integral with the filling tube and a detector ring , fixed on said filling tube at the height of the predetermined filling level of the bottle, and electrically insulated with respect to it, and an electric circuit connecting the sensor ring to the solenoid valve, to operate the closing of this valve when the level effective in the bottle has reached the predetermined filling level corresponding to the position of the ring. 6. Machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the filling tube has a lateral opening, disposed between its filling orifice and the solenoid valve, to allow the flow of its contents after closing the valve and before its removal full of bottle. 7. Machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the eletro-valve and the sensor ring are removably mounted and adjustable in position on the filling tube. 8. Machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the flow orifice of the filling tube is bevelled, to avoid the formation of scum during filling. 9. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the capper comprises at least five jaws arranged in a horizontal plane, radially around a stopper positioned to be introduced into the neck of a bottle, this device being arranged to exercise simultaneously radial pressure on the periphery of the stopper, at the time of its introduction into the bottle. 10. Machine according to claim 9, characterized in that each jaw has two vertical pivot axes, a first axis secured to a fixed central annular flange, and a second axis secured to an outer annular flange, concentric to the previous one, said outer flange being rotatable relative to the central flange, the displacement of the outer flange relative to the central flange bringing the jaws in abutment on the peripheral surface of the cap. 11. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for transporting the bottles between the filling station and the unloading station comprise conveyor belts arranged to bring the bottles one by one under the capper and to take them one by one at the exit of this device.