GB1358198A - Container filling machine - Google Patents

Abstract

1358198 Suction filling machines A T O Inc 8 Sept 1971 [8 Sept 1970] 41946/71 Heading B8T A filling head for a vacuum bottle filling machine consists of a sealing assembly, Fig. 12 (not shown), to provide air-tight contact between the filling head and bottle, a bottle centring assembly, Fig. 17 (not shown), and an elongate filling nozzle assembly, Fig. 5 (not shown). The filling nozzle may be provided with a sleeve valve, Fig. 26 (not shown), the sealing and centring assemblies and the sleeve valve being movable relative to the nozzle, and the sealing assembly having a leak-tight contact with the filling nozzle so that the mozzle height may be varied without breaking the vacuum seal. Where a sleeve valve is provided, a cam M2 Fig. 36, permits cam follower roller 58 of the nozzle assembly, Fig. 5 (not shown), to move along surface 208 from station I to II, the nozzle assembly bringing down the sealing assembly with it until member 92, Fig. 23, is in contact with the bottle top, the filling tube 20a being passed through the member 92 until the collar 62 of the nozzle assembly contacts bracket plate 64. The sleeve valve assembly moves down with the nozzle until the lower member 134 contacts the lower member 76 of the sealing assembly. Further downward movement of the filling tube 20a opens ports 22a and 24a. During filling, the sealing element 92 is maintained in contact with the bottle by roller 98 and cam M3. After a predetermined liquid level is obtained, cam 146 of the sleeve valve assembly contacts cam M4 lifting lower member 134 and the nozzle assembly to a new height, the ports 22a and 24a remaining open. On completion of the filling the ports are closed by raising the nozzle assembly by moving rollers 58 along surface 214 of cam M2, but holding the sleeve valve assembly by cam M5. On closure of the ports, roller 146 is freed and the nozzle, seal and valve are raised to their inoperative position. The cam control may be replaced by a friction control, the sealing assembly being connected to the stem 42 of the nozzle assembly by a screw and jaw arrangement, Fig. 15 (not shown), and the sleeve valve modified, Fig. 29 (not shown). The sealing member 92, Fig. 25 (not shown), is held in contact with the bottle top by the downward movement of the nozzle under the influence of a weight (116). On raising the nozzle to a predetermined height, the seal is held in contact with the bottle by the valve sleeve member (152) which is held down by cam (M7), Fig. 37 (not shown). The centring and sleeve valve are optional and the heads are located on a turret (170), Fig. 34 (not shown), arranged close to a bottle conveyer, the heads being mounted on hangers (16), Fig. 10 (not shown), within a frame (178), Fig. 33 (not shown). A nozzle having an eccentric air tube (28a), Fig. 31 (not shown), may be provided, the tip of which has a groove (226) for an 0-ring (228) which forms a leak-tight seal with the lower edge of the sleeve valve (130).