GB1569872A

GB1569872A - Apparatus for filling receptacles

Info

Publication number: GB1569872A
Application number: GB3050575A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-10-19
Filing date: 1976-10-19
Publication date: 1980-06-25

Description

(54) APPARATUS FOR FILLING RECEPACTLES (71) I, JOHN JAMES BROWN, a British subject, of 7 Bear Court, Burford, Oxon.

do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to apparatus for filling receptacles with liquid.

The invention provides apparatus for filling receptacles with liquid comprising a tank for containing liquid and having a filling station at which receptacles may be filled with liquid, a track carrying receptacles to be filled to said filling station, means at said filling station for lifting the receptacles to engage and actuate a valve arrangement thereat enabling the receptacle to be filled with liquid from the tank, said means being operable to replace filled receptacles on the track, the valve arrangement comprising a hollow body depending from the tank, which body is engageable by a receptacle to be filled to be lifted from a lower position to which it is biased by a spring acting between a flange plate on the body and the bottom wall of the tank, to an upper position enabling liquid to flow from the tank to the receptacle via the hollow body, the hollow body being formed with a plurality of apertures at the upper end thereof which enable liquid to pass from the tank to the interior of the hollow body when the hollow body is in said second position, and being formed at its lower end with a plurality of apertures via which fluid may flow to a receptacle to be filled, the arrangement including means for preventing flow of liquid from the tank after a predetermined volume has been dispensed.

At least one of said second mentioned plurality of apertures may be formed in an end face of the hollow body.

Preferably the upper end of the hollow body is located, when the hollow body is in its lower position, within a containing wall conforming to the shape of the hollow body and wherein the upper wall of the hollow body carries a seal acting between that upper wall and the upper edge of the containing wall to seal said first mentioned plurality of apertures from the liquid contained in said tank, said first mentioned plurality of apertures being lifted above said containing wall when the hollow body is moved to its upper position.

With advantage said means for preventing flow of liquid comprises means for sealing the receptacle from the atmosphere whilst the receptacle is being filled, such that the air pressure in the receptacle increases to a level preventing further filling of the receptacle as soon as a known volume of liquid has been dispensed.

Said means for sealing the receptacle from atmosphere whilst it is being filled may comprise sealing means carried by said flange plate, which flange is located above the second mentioned plurality of apertures, the sealing means being engageable by the neck of a receptacle to be filled in a manner sealing the interior of the receptacle from the atmosphere.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of bottle filling machines embodying the invention. The description is made with reference to the accompaning drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the machine, and Figures 2a and 2b show diagrammatically, in more detail, a valve arrangement used in the machine of Figure 1 in each of the two operative positions of the valve.

As can be seen in the Figures the bottle filling machine 10 comprises a header tank 11 supported on pillars 12 such that valves 13 depending from the bottom of the header tank lie directly above a moving track or conveyor belt 14 preferably formed with slats as shown. As shown. the header tank has six valves 13 but in practice there may be more or fewer valves included at the filling station, Bottles 15 are carried along by the track until they arrive at the filling station directly beneath one of the valves 13. The arrival at this position of bottles is sensed by any suitable means (not shown) which may be mechanical. electrical or electronic in operation.

When a bottle is in position beneath the valve 13 the bottle is lifted by means (not shown) towards the valve. The neck of the bottle strikes a flange plate 16 fitted with a sealing means 17 and lifts and actuates the valve. As will be described in more detail below the valve dispenses a known volume of liquid into the bottle. After a timed period, which is sufficient to allow the known volume of liquid to be dispensed into the bottle, the bottle is lowered on to the track for movement to the next station, for example for the bottle to be labelled or capped.

Figures 2a and 2b show in more detail the valve arrangement used in the machine of Figure 1. As can be seen, the valve has a cylindrical body 18 which depends from header tank 11 which is partly filled with liquid 19 to be dispensed.

The side of the hollow body 18 is formed with a vent 20 connected to a conduit tube tube 21 which passes inside the hollow body and through the top of the body to the air space 22 above the liquid 19 in the tank 11.

As can be seen, the uppermost portion of the body is provided with a ring of apertures 23 connecting with its interior. The bottom of the body has a similar ring of apertures 24 formed above a nose cone 25 which itself is pierced by a passage 26 connecting the interior of the hollow body with the outside.

The uppermost portion of the body, that inside the tank 11 in use, is provided with a sealing plate 27 welded on to the body and having a sealing O-ring 28, as shown, which normally rests on the top of a circular containing wall 29 surrounding the aperture in the tank 11 through which the body 18 extends.

A spring 30 acts between the bottom wall of the tank 11 and the uppermost surface of the flange plate 16 to urge the body to the position shown in Figure 2a, at which the O-ring 28 seals the tank and prevents liquid flow therefrom.

To operate the valve the bottle 15 is raised such that the nose cone 25 locates in the neck of the bottle. Continued upward movement of the bottle causes its neck to engage the sealing means 17 of flange plate 16. Further upward movement of the bottle raises the body 18 until the apertures 23 are fully inside the tank 11 thereby permitting liquid to flow from the tank to the hollow body 18 and out of the hollow body via the apertures 24 and 26 to the bottle.

The sealing ring 17 prevents air escaping from the bottle, but air may escape whilst the bottle is being filled via the vent 20 and conduit 21.

When the level of the liquid in the bottle reaches the level of the vent 20 (as shown in Figure 2b) air flow from the container stops, and further liquid flow from the tank increases the pressure of air in the bottle until liquid flow stops. The bottle is then lowered and the spring 30 ensures that the seal between the ring 17 and the rim of the bottle is maintained. The vent 20 remains covered with liquid until the O-ring 28 is seated on the top of wall 29 yet again. In this position no further liquid can flow from the tank to the hollow body; however, the liquid in the hollow body flows out into the bottle via the apertures 24 and 26. The bottle is replaced on the track and transported to the next operating station.

With the described embodiment the track may be continuously moved or, alternatively, the track may be stopped whilst the bottles of other receptacles are being filled.

It will be appreciated that arrangements embodying this invention may be used in respect of any liquid which is to be dispensed and the amount of liquid to be dispensed may vary widely.

The major advantage of the valve design is that it has only one main moving part and therefore the reliability of the design is high.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. Apparatus for filling receptacles with liquid comprising a tank for containing liquid and having a filling station at which receptacles may be filled with liquid, a track carrying receptacles to be filled to said filling station, means at said filling station for lifting the receptacles to engage and actuate a valve arrangement thereat enabling the receptacle to be filled with liquid from the tank, said means being operable to replace filled receptacles on the track, the valve arrangement comprising a hollow body depending from the tank, which body is engageable by a receptacle to be filled to be lifted from a lower position to which it is biased by a spring acting between a flange plate on the body and the bottom wall of the tank, to an upper position enabling liquid to flow from the tank to the receptacle via the hollow body, the hollow body being formed with a plurality of apertures at the upper end thereof which enable liquid to pass from the tank to the interior of the hollow body when the hollow body is in said second position, and being

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. conveyor belt 14 preferably formed with slats as shown. As shown. the header tank has six valves 13 but in practice there may be more or fewer valves included at the filling station, Bottles 15 are carried along by the track until they arrive at the filling station directly beneath one of the valves 13. The arrival at this position of bottles is sensed by any suitable means (not shown) which may be mechanical. electrical or electronic in operation. When a bottle is in position beneath the valve 13 the bottle is lifted by means (not shown) towards the valve. The neck of the bottle strikes a flange plate 16 fitted with a sealing means 17 and lifts and actuates the valve. As will be described in more detail below the valve dispenses a known volume of liquid into the bottle. After a timed period, which is sufficient to allow the known volume of liquid to be dispensed into the bottle, the bottle is lowered on to the track for movement to the next station, for example for the bottle to be labelled or capped. Figures 2a and 2b show in more detail the valve arrangement used in the machine of Figure 1. As can be seen, the valve has a cylindrical body 18 which depends from header tank 11 which is partly filled with liquid 19 to be dispensed. The side of the hollow body 18 is formed with a vent 20 connected to a conduit tube tube 21 which passes inside the hollow body and through the top of the body to the air space 22 above the liquid 19 in the tank 11. As can be seen, the uppermost portion of the body is provided with a ring of apertures 23 connecting with its interior. The bottom of the body has a similar ring of apertures 24 formed above a nose cone 25 which itself is pierced by a passage 26 connecting the interior of the hollow body with the outside. The uppermost portion of the body, that inside the tank 11 in use, is provided with a sealing plate 27 welded on to the body and having a sealing O-ring 28, as shown, which normally rests on the top of a circular containing wall 29 surrounding the aperture in the tank 11 through which the body 18 extends. A spring 30 acts between the bottom wall of the tank 11 and the uppermost surface of the flange plate 16 to urge the body to the position shown in Figure 2a, at which the O-ring 28 seals the tank and prevents liquid flow therefrom. To operate the valve the bottle 15 is raised such that the nose cone 25 locates in the neck of the bottle. Continued upward movement of the bottle causes its neck to engage the sealing means 17 of flange plate 16. Further upward movement of the bottle raises the body 18 until the apertures 23 are fully inside the tank 11 thereby permitting liquid to flow from the tank to the hollow body 18 and out of the hollow body via the apertures 24 and 26 to the bottle. The sealing ring 17 prevents air escaping from the bottle, but air may escape whilst the bottle is being filled via the vent 20 and conduit 21. When the level of the liquid in the bottle reaches the level of the vent 20 (as shown in Figure 2b) air flow from the container stops, and further liquid flow from the tank increases the pressure of air in the bottle until liquid flow stops. The bottle is then lowered and the spring 30 ensures that the seal between the ring 17 and the rim of the bottle is maintained. The vent 20 remains covered with liquid until the O-ring 28 is seated on the top of wall 29 yet again. In this position no further liquid can flow from the tank to the hollow body; however, the liquid in the hollow body flows out into the bottle via the apertures 24 and 26. The bottle is replaced on the track and transported to the next operating station. With the described embodiment the track may be continuously moved or, alternatively, the track may be stopped whilst the bottles of other receptacles are being filled. It will be appreciated that arrangements embodying this invention may be used in respect of any liquid which is to be dispensed and the amount of liquid to be dispensed may vary widely. The major advantage of the valve design is that it has only one main moving part and therefore the reliability of the design is high. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. Apparatus for filling receptacles with liquid comprising a tank for containing liquid and having a filling station at which receptacles may be filled with liquid, a track carrying receptacles to be filled to said filling station, means at said filling station for lifting the receptacles to engage and actuate a valve arrangement thereat enabling the receptacle to be filled with liquid from the tank, said means being operable to replace filled receptacles on the track, the valve arrangement comprising a hollow body depending from the tank, which body is engageable by a receptacle to be filled to be lifted from a lower position to which it is biased by a spring acting between a flange plate on the body and the bottom wall of the tank, to an upper position enabling liquid to flow from the tank to the receptacle via the hollow body, the hollow body being formed with a plurality of apertures at the upper end thereof which enable liquid to pass from the tank to the interior of the hollow body when the hollow body is in said second position, and being

formed at its lower end with a plurality of apertures via which fluid may flow to a receptacle to be filled, the arrangement including means for preventing flow of liquid from the tank after a predetermined volume has been dispensed.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein at least one of said second means tioned plurality of apertures is formed in an end face of the hollow body.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the upper end of the hollow body is located, when the hollow body is in its lower position, within a containing wall conforming to the shape of the hollow body and wherein the upper wall of the hollow body carries a seal acting between that upper wall and the upper edge of the containing wall to seal said first mentioned plurality of apertures from the liquid contained in said tank, said first mentioned plurality of apertures being lifted above said containing wall when the hollow body is moved to its upper position.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said means for preventing flow of liquid comprises means for sealing the receptacle from the atmosphere whilst the receptacle is being filled, such that the air pressure in the receptacle increases to a level preventing further filling of the receptacle as soon as a known volume of liquid has been dispensed.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein said means for sealing the receptacle from the atmosphere whilst it is being filled comprises sealing means carried by said flange plate, which flange is located above the second mentioned plurality of apertures, the sealing means being engageable by the neck of a receptacle to be filled in a manner sealing the interior of the receptacle from the atmosphere.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein the side wall of the hollow body is formed with an aperture at a position below said flange, which aperture is connected to the volume of the tank above the liquid contained therein by a conduit which operates, in use, to allow air to pass from the receptacle to the tank.

7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the volume of liquid dispensed prior to liquid flow being cut off is equal to the total volume to be dispensed to the receptacle less the volume of liquid held in the hollow body.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and including a plurality of filling stations enabling a plurality of receptacles simultaneously to be filled.

9. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the or each receptacle is moved to and away from the filling stations by means of a conveyor belt or track.

10. Apparatus for filling receptacles substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.