GB1580371A - Machine and method for filling bottles with pressurised fluid - Google Patents

Description

(54) MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FILLING BOTTLES WITH PRESSURISED FLUID (71) We, ROBERT BRAVARD, a French citizen, of 1 chemin des Tapis, Ecully, Rhone, France, BERNARD MARCHAL, a French citizen, of Parc de Chalin, Ecully, Rhone, France, and EDUARDO RUGA, an Italian citizen, of Le Bachely, Dardilly, Rhone, France, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - This invention relates to a machine and a method for filling of pierceable bottles with pressurised fluid.

It is known that certain liquid or pasty products may be sold in bottles sometimes called "cylinders" which contain a gas under pressure making it possible to expel these products from the cylinder, as soon as an external valve is opened.

When it is desired to use a packaging of this type for a liquid product which cannot come into contact with a gas, one uses a bottle having its internal volume divided into two compartments. For example there is placed inside the bottle, a bag made of plastics material, whose inner pocket contains solely the liquid product and the outer surface of the bag is in contact with the gas under pressure. It is also possible to divide the internal volume of the bottle by a sliding piston to separate the gas and the product.

To produce bottles of this type, one begins by fitting on a metal bottle, the outer valve and the internal piston or bag filled with the product. The base of each bottle has been previously pierced and one then proceeds with the pressurisation, by injecting the gas through the hole in the base, before introducing a stopper into this hole.

This method of manufacture is expensive, since it requires the use of metal bottles which have already been pierced. With known machines, an operator filling the bottles with gas and introducing the stopper, cannot exceed a production rate of 100 bottles per hour.

According to the invention there is provided a machine for filling pierceable bottles with pressurised fluid comprising: -- a work-piece support station for re- ceiving a bottle having a base which is not yet pierced; - a control ram movable to and fro to- wards and away from the base of a said bottle received by the work-piece support station; - a guide cylinder into which open two opposed orifices, a first said orifice being opposite the base of the bottle received by the work-piece support station and the control ram being movable to and fro in the second said orifice; - a tool-support slide slidable back and forth in the guide cylinder;; - a piercing tool to pierce an opening in the base of the bottle received by the work-piece support station, a stopper positioning tool to position a stopper in said pierced opening, said tools being mounted in the slide and each tool being movable to and fro along a path transversely to the path of back and forth movement of the slide, the arrangement being such that the slide is movable between one position in which the piercing tool is acted upon by the control ram and moves in the first orifice towards the base to pierce said base and a second position in which the stopper positioning tool is acted upon by control ram and moves in second orifice towards the base to position a stopper in the opening pierced in the base;; means to supply pressurised fluid through the pierced opening in the base of the bottle, said means comprising space within the guide cylinder, in which space said tools move.

The tool support slide can comprise peripheral sealing rings adjacent its two axial ends to define a region under fluid pressure inside the guide cylinder, said region includes first and second bores provided in the slide and at least one longitudinal recess provided in the slide and connecting said bores, said region is supplied with pres surised fluid through a third orifice extending through a wall of the cylinder, said bores extending transversely to the axis of the tool-support slide, and said first bore houses the piercing tool and the second bore houses the stopper positioning tool.

The piercing tool can be constituted by a punch having a first end to pierce said base of the bottle and an opposite end connected to a shoulder movable in a chamber in the tool-support slide, said chamber extends transversely to the direction of back and forth movement of the slide, a helical spring is engaged around the punch, one end of the spring bears against an abutment in the chamber and the opposite end of the spring bears against the shoulder to constantly urge the punch into a position in which the first end of the punch is retracted within the outer surface of the slide, and the control ram is movable in said chamber to push the shoulder and move the first end of the punch in the first orifice to pierce the base of the bottle.

The stopper positioning tool can be constituted by a rod having a first end to push the stopper into the pierced opening and an opposite end connected to a shoulder movable in a chamber in the tool-support slide, a helical spring is engaged around the rod, one end of the spring bears against an abutment in the chamber and the opposite end of the spring bears against the shoulder to constantly urge the rod into a position in which the first end of the rod is retracted within the outer surface of the slide, and the control ram is movable in the chamber to push the shoulder and move the first end of the rod in the first orifice to force-fit in the pierced opening in the base of the bottle, a stopper previously housed between the first end of the rod and the outer surface of the slide.

The machine can be provided with a device for supplying stoppers comprising two knurled wheels having parallel axes, said wheels rotating in opposite directions and gripping a coil therebetween in order to feed the coil into an orifice in the guide cylinder, the arrangement being such that when the slide is in the first position this orifice is opposite the second bore so that the end of the coil is fed into an end of the second bore so that said end of the coil is adjacent the first end of the rod, and the end of the coil is automatically cut off tn form a stopper when the tool-support slide moves towards the second position.

If desired, the feed device can be placed inside a pressurised chamber filled with gas for filling the bottle.

Movements of the tool-support slide between the first and second positions can be controlled by a second ram, and movements of the machine are controlled by signals from detector means connected to a pneumatic or electrical logic circuit, said detector means being arranged to detect end of travel of the second ram.

A method of filling pierceable bottles with pressurised fluid can be carried out using the machine formed according to the invention and as described above, this method comprising placing a bottle with an unpierced base on the work-piece 50Q port station, feeding the end of a rubber coil into the end of the second bore when the tool-support slide is in the first position, moving the control ram into the tool-support slide to move the punch so as to pierce an opening in said base of the bottle, retracting the control ram from the toolsupport slide and returning the punch so that its first end is retracted within the outer surface of the tool-support slide, supplying fluid under pressure to the bottle through the first orifice and the pierced opening, moving the tool-support slide to the second position and simultaneously cutting off said end of the coil to form a rubber stopper in the end of the second bore, moving the control ram into the tool support slide to move the rod so that the first end of the rod pushes the stopper into the pierced opening through the first orifice, retracting the control ram from the tool-support slide and returning the rod so that its first end is retracted within the outer surface of the tool-support slide, returning the tool-support slide to its first position, and removing the bottle from the work-piece support station.

The invention will now be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an axial sectional view of a bottle for a pressurised product with an inner bag; Fig. 2 is an axial sectional view of a machine formed according to the invention; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on line 111-111 (Fig. 2); Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on line IV-IV (Fig. 2); and Figs. 5 to 7 are partial views of Fig. 2 illustrating various stages of operation of the machine.

Fig. 1 shows a metal bottle 1 provided with a valve 2 and an inner bag 3 whose inner pocket contains a liquid or pasty product 4. The space comprised between the inner walls of the bottle and the outer walls of the bag is filled with a pressurised propellant fluid. This fluid may be a compressed gas or a liquified gas. The base 5 of the bottle is provided with a hole 6 closed by a stopper 7.

The machine in Fig. 2 is intended to ensure both piercing of the hole 6, filling and pressurisation of the bottle through this hole, then positioning of the stopper 7.

This machine comprises: - a work-piece support station 8, in- tended to receive a bottle 1; - a control ram 9, coaxial with the bottle 1 counted on the work-piece support 8 and whose piston 10 is able to move towards the base 5 of this bottle; - a guide cylinder 11 into which open transversely, in facing relationship, two orifices 12 and 13 located respectively opposite the base 5 and the piston 10; - a tool-support slide 14 mounted to slide longitudinally inside the cylinder 11.

These various arrangements will be described in detail, in the above order.

The work-piece support station 8 comprises a base 15 integral with the cylinder 11, such that the orifice 12 opens out at the centre of a frusto-conical mouth piece 16.

A movable pushing member 17 is able to press on the end of a bottle 1, in the vicinity of the valve 2, such that the mouthpiece 16 is pressed firmly against the base 5, which establishes a sealed connection between the orifice 12 and the bottle 1 when the hole 6 is pierced. A logic detector 18 is mounted to cooperate with the pushing member 17 when this pushing member presses against a bottle.

The piston 10 of the control ram 9 is able to move between two end positions.

namely: - a retracted position (Fig. 6), in which its free end remains outside the inner cylindrical surface of the cylinder 11; an an extended position in which its free end is engaged inside the cylinder 11 (Fig.

7).

Two logic detectors 20 and 21 are mounted to cooperate with the piston 10, when it is located respectively in the retracted and in the extended position.

One of the ends of the guide cylinder 11 is connected to a ram 22 carrying out a longitudinal movement, whose piston 23 is connected to the slide 14.

Adjacent its axial ends, the slide 14 is provided with sealing rings 24 and 25 which define around the slide and inside the cylinder 11, a space which can be pressurised by means of an orifice for the supply of propellant fluid 26 opening radially into the cylinder 11 (Fig. 3) and connected to a reservoir 27 of propellant fluid through the intermediary of a buffer container 28. The propellant fluid may be nitrogen, air or freon for example.

The cylinder ]1 is connected to a longitudinal key 29 which slides inside a groove 30 in the slide 14 to prevent this slide from rotating.

Between the rings 24 and 25, the slide 14 contains a piercing tool 31 and a tool 32 for positioning the stopper 7. The axes of these tools are parallel to the axis of the control ram 9.

The piercing tool 31 is constituted by a punch 33 sliding in a bore guiding the punch and extending transversely to the axis of the slide 14. The punch 33 has a rear end which is connected to a shoulder 34. The shoulder 34 is able to move inside a transverse chamber 35 in the slide 14. A helical spring 36 tends to bias the shoulder 34 constantly into a position in which the punch 33 is set back with respect to the outer cylindrical surface of the slide. The piston 10 may engage in the chamber 35 in order to push the shoulder 34, whilst compressing the spring 36 (Fig. 5).

When the ram 22 moving by translation is retracted, the axes of the ram 9 and of the piercing tool 31 coincide.

When the ram 22 is extended, the axis of the ram 9 is on the contrary in line with that of the tool 32. This tool comprises a rod 37 which slides in a transverse bore 38 in the slide 14 and whose rear end is connected to a shoulder 39 moving in a chamber 40. A helical spring 41 tends to bias the shoulder 39 constantly into a position in which the front end of the rod 37 is set back by a distance 42 with respect to the outer cylindrical surface of the slide. The piston 10 may engage in the chamber 40 in order to push the shoulder 39, whilst compressing the spring 41 (Fig. 7).

The circulation of the propellant fluid under pressure between the orifice 26 and the tools 31 and 32 is ensured, on the one hand, by virtue of a clearance 43 provided between the key 29 and the base of the groove 30 and on the other hand, by virtue of a longitudinal recess 44 provided on the slide 14 between the bore for guiding the punch 33 and the bore 38 for guiding the rod 37. Tn addition, an inclined passage 45 opens into the bore 38 in order to lead to a pressure detector which is not shown.

Finally, the machine comprises a device 47 for supplying stoppers. This device is fixed externally to the cylinder 11 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) and comprises a guide tube 48 which guides a coil of appropriate material 49, for example a rubber, towards an orifice 50 opening radially into the cylinder 11 opposite the hole 38, when the ram 22 is retracted. The coil 49 is gripped between the outer cylindrical surfaces of two knurled wheels 51 and 52 having parallel axes. The knurled wheel 52 may rotate freely, whereas the knurled wheel 51 is mounted on a shaft 53 integral with a toothed wheel 54 able to cooperate with a hook 55 fixed to the piston 56 of a double-acting ram 57.

The piston 56 also cooperates with end of travel logic detectors 58 and 59.

The machine operates in the following manner.

Starting with the state of the machine illustrated in Fig. 2, a bottle 1 is placed on the work-piece support station 8. This bottle is already equipped with its valve 2 and an inner bag of flexible plastics material whose pocket is filled with a liquid or pasty product 4.

The pushing member 17 moves in the direction of arrow 60 in order ot press the base 5 of the bottle against the mouthpiece 16 of the base 15. The detector 18 controls this stage of the operation.

During this period, the ram 57 of the device 47 for supplying stoppers carries out one or more outward and return movements, under the control of the detectors 58 and 59, in order to rotate the toothed wheel 54 and the knurled wheel 51 in the direction of arrow 61 (Figs. 3 and 4), such that the free end of the coil 49 fills the hole 38 as far as the front end of the rod 37.

Piston 10 of the control ram 9 is extended, under the control of the detector 21, in order to push the punch 33 in the direction of arrow 62. This punch engages in the base 15 through the orifice 12 in order to pierce the hole 6 in the base 5 of the bottle 1 (Fig. 5).

The piston 10 is then retracted, under the control of the detector 20, then the piston 23 of the ram 22 moving by translation is in turn extended, in order to move the tool-support slide 14 in the direction of arrow 63 (Fig. 6). This movement of the slide automatically causes shearing of the end of the coil 49 due to offsetting of the hole 38 and orifice 50. The sheared end of the coil constitutes a stopper 7. This stopper 7 provides temporary closure of the orifice of the inclined hole 45 inside the hole 38. Thus, no pressure should be detected by the pressure detector. If this detector indicates the appearance of pressure in the passage 45, this signifies the absence of the stopper 7. The latter is dangerous, since the bottle 1 could be filled with gas, without having a stopper.To prevent this danger, the pressure detector is directly connected to a safety circuit which immediately stops the cycle of the machine if there is no stopper 7 in the hole 38 at the time when the slide 14 moves in the direction of arrow 63.

During this period, the propellant fluid coming from the reservoir 27 penetrates the bottle 1 through the orifice 12 and the hole 6. The buffer container 28 ensures rapid filling and pressurisation of the bottle 1.

This pressure, of the order of 7 bars, may be controlled by means of a pressure detector 64 connected in the gas supply circuit (Fig. 3).

As soon as the pressure is sufficient, the piston 10 is extended, in order to push the rod 37 of the tool 32 in the direction of arrow 65. The stopper 7 is force-fitted in the hole 6 through the orifice 12, whose end is slightly tapered to facilitate the forced passage of the stopper (Fig. 7).

The piston 10 is then once more retracted in the direction of arrow 66, then the toolsupport slide 14 slides in the direction of arrow 67, under the control of the ram 22 moving in translation, in order to resume its initial position. The pushing member 17 moves in the direction of arrow 68 in order to release the bottle 1 before another bottle takes its place, then the cycle recommences from the beginning.

All these operations may take place either manually or automatically. The machine may be controlled either by a pneumatic logic system or by an electric logic system.

In a modification, locking of the bottle 1 on the machine may be ensured not by the pushing member 17, but by a device simultaneously ensuring fitting or securing of a bottle cap which supports the valve 2.

In another modification, all the parts of the device 47 for supplying rubber stoppers are enclosed in a chamber 69 which is also supplied with pressurised gas from the reservoir 27. This precaution may prove necessary in the case where the end of the coil 49 is retarded in its movement of entering the cylinder 11 by the internal pressure prevailing in this cylinder.

By means of the aforedescribed machine, it is possible for a single operator to produce up to 500 bottles an hour, starting with non-pierced bottles. The fact of starting with non-pierced bottles is advantageous, since it ensures automatically correct introduction of the stopper into the hole, even if this hole is not pierced exactly at the centre of the bottom of the bottle.

The bottles illustrated in the drawings are intended to contain a liquid or pasty product which cannot come into contact with the pressurised gas. The latter may be food products, such as orange and lemon juice or pharmaceutical products or even cosmetic products, toothpaste or the like.

If desired, the machine can be used to fill bottles, not containing an internal separation bag, with pressurised fluid.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A machine for filling pierceable bottles with pressurised fluid comprising: - a work-piece support station for re- ceiving a bottle having a base which is not yet pierced; - a control ram movable to and fro towards and away from the base of a said bottle received by the work-piece support station; - a guide cylinder into which open two opposed orifices, a first said orifice being opposite the base of the bottle received by

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

Claims (1)

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

   Starting with the state of the machine illustrated in Fig. 2, a bottle 1 is placed on the work-piece support station 8. This bottle is already equipped with its valve 2 and an inner bag of flexible plastics material whose pocket is filled with a liquid or pasty product 4.

   The pushing member 17 moves in the direction of arrow 60 in order ot press the base 5 of the bottle against the mouthpiece 16 of the base 15. The detector 18 controls this stage of the operation.

   During this period, the ram 57 of the device 47 for supplying stoppers carries out one or more outward and return movements, under the control of the detectors 58 and 59, in order to rotate the toothed wheel 54 and the knurled wheel 51 in the direction of arrow 61 (Figs. 3 and 4), such that the free end of the coil 49 fills the hole 38 as far as the front end of the rod 37.

   Piston 10 of the control ram 9 is extended, under the control of the detector 21, in order to push the punch 33 in the direction of arrow 62. This punch engages in the base 15 through the orifice 12 in order to pierce the hole 6 in the base 5 of the bottle 1 (Fig. 5).

   The piston 10 is then retracted, under the control of the detector 20, then the piston 23 of the ram 22 moving by translation is in turn extended, in order to move the tool-support slide 14 in the direction of arrow 63 (Fig. 6). This movement of the slide automatically causes shearing of the end of the coil 49 due to offsetting of the hole 38 and orifice 50. The sheared end of the coil constitutes a stopper 7. This stopper 7 provides temporary closure of the orifice of the inclined hole 45 inside the hole 38. Thus, no pressure should be detected by the pressure detector. If this detector indicates the appearance of pressure in the passage 45, this signifies the absence of the stopper 7. The latter is dangerous, since the bottle 1 could be filled with gas, without having a stopper.To prevent this danger, the pressure detector is directly connected to a safety circuit which immediately stops the cycle of the machine if there is no stopper 7 in the hole 38 at the time when the slide 14 moves in the direction of arrow 63.

   During this period, the propellant fluid coming from the reservoir 27 penetrates the bottle 1 through the orifice 12 and the hole 6. The buffer container 28 ensures rapid filling and pressurisation of the bottle 1.

   This pressure, of the order of 7 bars, may be controlled by means of a pressure detector 64 connected in the gas supply circuit (Fig. 3).

   As soon as the pressure is sufficient, the piston 10 is extended, in order to push the rod 37 of the tool 32 in the direction of arrow 65. The stopper 7 is force-fitted in the hole 6 through the orifice 12, whose end is slightly tapered to facilitate the forced passage of the stopper (Fig. 7).

   The piston 10 is then once more retracted in the direction of arrow 66, then the toolsupport slide 14 slides in the direction of arrow 67, under the control of the ram 22 moving in translation, in order to resume its initial position. The pushing member 17 moves in the direction of arrow 68 in order to release the bottle 1 before another bottle takes its place, then the cycle recommences from the beginning.

   All these operations may take place either manually or automatically. The machine may be controlled either by a pneumatic logic system or by an electric logic system.

   In a modification, locking of the bottle 1 on the machine may be ensured not by the pushing member 17, but by a device simultaneously ensuring fitting or securing of a bottle cap which supports the valve 2.

   In another modification, all the parts of the device 47 for supplying rubber stoppers are enclosed in a chamber 69 which is also supplied with pressurised gas from the reservoir 27. This precaution may prove necessary in the case where the end of the coil 49 is retarded in its movement of entering the cylinder 11 by the internal pressure prevailing in this cylinder.

   By means of the aforedescribed machine, it is possible for a single operator to produce up to 500 bottles an hour, starting with non-pierced bottles. The fact of starting with non-pierced bottles is advantageous, since it ensures automatically correct introduction of the stopper into the hole, even if this hole is not pierced exactly at the centre of the bottom of the bottle.

   The bottles illustrated in the drawings are intended to contain a liquid or pasty product which cannot come into contact with the pressurised gas. The latter may be food products, such as orange and lemon juice or pharmaceutical products or even cosmetic products, toothpaste or the like.

   If desired, the machine can be used to fill bottles, not containing an internal separation bag, with pressurised fluid.

   WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

   1. A machine for filling pierceable bottles with pressurised fluid comprising: - a work-piece support station for re- ceiving a bottle having a base which is not yet pierced; - a control ram movable to and fro towards and away from the base of a said bottle received by the work-piece support station; - a guide cylinder into which open two opposed orifices, a first said orifice being opposite the base of the bottle received by

   the work-piece support station and the control ram being movable to and fro in the second said orifice, - a tool-support slide slidable back and forth in the guide cylinder; - a piercing tool to pierce an opening in the base of the bottle received by the work-piece support station, a stopper positioning tool to position a stopper in said pierced opening, said tools being mounted in the slide and each took being movable to and fro along a path transversely to the path of back and forth movement of the slide, the arrangement being such that the slide is movable between one position in which the piercing tool is acted upon by the control ram and hioves in the first orifice towards the base to pierce said base and a second position in which the stopper positioning tool is acted upon by control ram and movest in second orifice towards the base to position a stopper in the opening pierced in the base; - means to supply pressurised fluid through the pierced opening in the base of the bottle, said means comprising space within the guide cylinder, in which space said tools move.

   2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the tool-support slide comprises peripheral sealing rings adjacent its two axial ends to define a region under fluid pressure inside the guide cylinder, said region includes first and second bores provided in the slide and at least one longitudinal recess provided in the slide and connecting said bores, said region is supplied with pressurised fluid through a third orifice extending through a wall of the cylinder, said bores extending transversely to the axis of the tool-support slide, and said first bore houses the piercing tool and the second bore houses the stopper positioning tool.

   3. A machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the cylinder is connected to a key which slides in a longitudinal groove in an outer surface of the slide, and the third orifice extends through the key and opens into a space between the key and the base of the groove.

   4. A machine as claimed in any preceding claim in which the piercing tool is constituted by a punch having a first end to pierce said base of the bottle and an opposite end connected to a shoulder movable in a chamber in the tool-support slide, said chamber extends transversely to the direction of back and forth movement of the slide, a helical spring is engaged around the punch, one end of the spring bears against an abutment in the chamber and the opposite end of the spring bears against the shoulder to constantly urge the punch into a position in which the first end of the punch is retracted within the outer surface of the slide - and the control ram:: i6 movable ifi said chamber to push the shoulder and move the first end of the punch in the first orifice to pierce the base of the bottle.

   5. A machine as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, in which the stopper posi tioning tool is constituted by a rod having a first end to push the stopper into the pierced opening and an opposite end con nected to a shoulder movable in a chamber in the tool-support slide, a helical spring is engaged around the rod, one end of the spring bears against an abutment in the chamber and the opposite end of the spring bears against the shoulder to constantly urge the rod into a position in which the first end of the rod is retracted within the outer surface of the slide, and the control ram is movable in the chamber to push the shoulder and move the first end of the rod in the first orifice to force fit in the pierced opening in the base of the bottle, a stopper previously housed between the first end of the rod and the outer surface of the slide.

   6. A machine as claimed in claims 2 and 5, further comprising a device for supplying stoppers comprising two knurled wheels having parallel axes, said wheels rotating in opposite directions and gripping a coil therebetween in order to feed the coil into an orifice in the guide cylinder, the arrange ment being such that when the slide is in the first position this orifice is opposite the second bore so that the end of the coil is fed into an end of the second bore so that said end of the coil is adjacent the first end of the rod, and the end of the coil is auto matically cut off to form a stopper when the tool-support slide moves towards the second position.

   7. A machine as claimed in claim 6, in which the feed device is located inside a pressurised chamber filled with gas for fill ing the bottle.

   8. A machine as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, in which a passage connected to a pressure detector opens into said end of the second bore, and the pressure detector is connected to a safety circuit which stops operation of the machine before the rod is acted upon by the control ram if there is no stopper in said end of the second bore.

   9. A machine as claimed in any preced ing claim in which movements of the tool support slide between the first and second positions are controlled by a second ram, and movements of the machine are con trolled by signals from detector means con nected to a pneumatic or electrical logic cir cuit, said detector means being arranged to detect end of travel of the second ram.

   10. A method of filling a pierceable bottle with pressurised fluid carried out using the machine claimed in claims 2, 4, 5 and 6, said method comprising placing a bottle with an unpierced base on the workpiece support station, feeding the end of a rubber coil into the end of the second bore when - the tool-support slide is in the first position, moving the control ram into the tool-support slide to move the punch so as to pierce an opening in said base of the bottle, retracting the control ram from the tool-support slide and returning the punch so that its first end is retracted within the outer surface of the tool-support slide, supplying fluid under pressure to the bottle through-the first orifice and the pierced opening, moving the tool-support slide to the second position and simultaneously cutting off said end of the coil to form a rub- ber stopper in the end of the second bore, moving the control ram into the tool support slide to move the rod so that the first end of the rod pushes the stopper into the pierced opening through the first orifice retracting the control ram from the toolsupport slide and returning the rod so that its first end is retracted within the outer surface of the tool-support slide, returning the tool-support slide to its first position, and removing the bottle from the workpiece support station.

   1.1 A machine for filling pierceable bottles with pressurised fluid, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.