GB2182303A - A method and an apparatus for filling of small containers - Google Patents

Abstract

Gelatine capsules with bodies 28 and caps 29 are filled by use of a rotating outer drum 1 and an inner drum 13 which can be moved axially into and out of the drum 1 and displaced vertically while within the drum 1. The capsules are first placed in inner drum 13 through openings (20) in slidable covers 19 and in the position shown the bodies 28 are drawn by vacuum into rows of cavities (5) in the outer drum 1. Apertured slide 7 controlled by cam follower (9) closes each filled row of cavities when the drums are indexed to bring another row of capsules and cavities into the bottom position. After removal of the inner drum 13, the outer drum 1 is filled with powder, which is retained by removable end plates (10), and rotated to cause the powder to enter the capsule bodies in the lower part of the drum, the filled capsules being closed by slides 7 prior to stopping drum rotation. Finally the inner drum is brought back and the filled capsule bodies 28 are pushed into the caps 29 in the drum 13 by pins (25) extendible through passages at the lowermost position of cavities 5. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A method and an apparatusforfilling of small con- tainers The present invention relates to a method and apparatusforfilling of small containers, particularlytwo piece hard gelatine capsules, with powdered or particulate materials.

Various methods and apparatuses are known for filling a multiplicity of small containerswith powdered or particulate materials but difficulties remain in securing accurate and uniform filling, particularly with materials with poor flow characteristics. The containers may have a body of metal or plastic two which a closely fitting cap or closure is applied after filling or may be in the form of a two piece hard gelatine capsule. Forfilling, the container bodies are commonly placed in pockets in a plate or block and the powder is fed in by gravity, perhaps with the aid of a wiper blade sweeping the surface, or by mechanical ramming or in the form of a slug.In all these methods the accuracy ofthe filling is governed by the flow characteristicsofthefilling material and bytheac- curacyofthedimensionsofthefilling mechanism, and itisverydifficulttoensurethateachcontainer receives the required weight of material.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method of filling containers, particularly two piece hard gelatine capsules, with powdered or particulate materials wherein the container bodies are supported in an outer drum rotatable about a horizontal axis with their open ends facing towards the axis ofthe outer drum, the filling material is supplied to the interior of the outerdrum, the outer drum is rotated to cause the filling material to enter into the container bodies in the lower part of the outer drum and to be retained therein,the open ends ofthe container bodies are then covered before rotation of the outer drum is stopped.

In a preferred construction ofthe apparatus for carrying outthe method there is provided a rotatable outer drum having a plurality of axial rows of pockets for receiving the container bodies the radially outer ends of which have orifices slightlysmallerin diame terthan the diameter of the pockets for giving access to eithera vacuum source ora container pushing pin and the radially inner ends of the pockets of each row having meansto close oropen the pockets intimed sequence and means for loading and unloading the said pockets ofthe containers in the empty and filled states respectively.

The pockets of each row are opened by separate displaceable covers which are axially slidable between closed and open positions, and are operated automatically in timed sequence by cams positioned adjacent the uppermost and lowermost parts ofthe said outer drum. The pockets in a row can be loaded when at their lowest position with the inner covers open. The inner cover can then be closed as the outer drum is indexed and the next row of pockets is moved to the loading position. Once the rows of pockets have been loaded with container bodies and the outer drum has been set in rotation, the inner covers can be opened to allowthefilling material to enter the container bodies, which are retained in their pockets when in the upper part of the outer drum by centrifugal action.When the containers are full the inner covers are closed and the outer drum is stopped to allow the application of closures to the filler containers. The orifices in the outer ends ofthe pockets allow the entry of pins to assist in application of the closures.

To assist filling of the container bodies with powder or particulate material in their lowermost position the inner covers can be tapered across their width to present a highertrailing edge as the outer drum rotates. The powder or particulate material is, therefore, swept up the inclined surface ofthe cover plate and directed into the openings in the plate. The outer drum has removable circular plates which may be mnade oftransparent material in two halves, secured to it by means of screws, with small central openings, attached to its either side and both ends of each inner cover project out ofthe two circular plates.

For loading the outer drum, an innerdrum,the height of which is adjustable, carrying the closed but empty containers, comprising the bodies and the caps, with the bodies projecting radially outwards and caps retained inside, is inserted into the interior of the outer drum, the circular plate on the particular side having first been removed. The inner drum has axial rows of pockets for holding the closed containers which are aligned with the pockets in the outer drum.With the inner covers in open positions the empty containers in a row are aligned with a row of empty pockets located in the lowermost position on the outerdrum and the inner drum is lowered so that the body portions ofthe containers in a row partially enterthe empty pockets in the outer drum and vacuum is applied to the orifices in the outer ends of the pockets in the outer drum to discharge the bodies of the containers from the caps and draw them, fu I iy into the pockets in the outer drum. The inner drum is raised backto its original position and after indexing the outer drum and the inner drum to repeatthe loading operation for each axial row of containers,the inner drum can be removed, carrying the caps with it.

Forapplyingcapstothecontainers,theinnerdrum carrying the caps is inserted into the interior ofthe outerdrumand lowered to bring itsouterdiameter closetotheinnercovers,thecircularplateandany excess powder or particulate material, having first been removed. With the inner covers in open positions the caps in a row are aligned with a row offiller container bodies located in the lowermost position on the outer drum, and pins on a cam driven pin block are raised through the orifices in the outer ends of the pockets to push the container bodies up into engagement with their caps and clear of the pockets in the drum.After indexing the outer drum and the innerdrurnto repeattheclosingoperationforeach axial row of containers, the inner drum can be removed, carrying the filled containers with it, and the containers can be ejected from the inner drum and replaced by fresh empty containers.

The loading oftheouterdrumwith container bodies and loading of the inner drum with container caps can also be carried out manually.

The method offilling of the container bodies which is used in the apparatus of the present invention allows close control of the filling of the container bodies, during rotation ofthe outer drum. In the uppermost position the centrifugal force acts against the gravitational force and by controlling the speed ofthe drum the resultant force, acting upwards to hold the material to be filled in the container, can be varied as required to compactthe material to be filled in the container to a desired degree.Thus, when the centrifugal force is just equal to the gravitational force, the material to be filled will be "floating" in an equilibrium state giving loosefillingofthecontainer body but with increasing speed of the drum, the mat- erialtobefilledwill be compacted morethoroughly into the container body by the increasing radially outward force.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa side elevation showing the outer drum and the inner drum supported on columns and the vacuum block supported on a base plate mounted on a common sliding bed; Figure2 is an end elevation showing a part ofthe outer drum partially in cross section and a vacuum block and a pin block supported on the base plate mounted on the common sliding bed; Figure 3shows a two-piece hard gelatine capsule; Figure 4 is a cross sectional view showing parts of the outer and inner drums, with the inner drum in the lowered position, wherein two-piece hard gelatine capsules contained in pockets in an axial row in the inner drum partially enter pockets in an axial row in the outer drum;; Figure 5is a fragmentary cross sectional view showing the body of a two-piece hard gelatine capsule, originally contained in an axial row in the inner drum, drawn fully into a pocket in an axial row inthe outerdrum by application of vacuum through a vacuum block in contact with the outer surace of the outer drum; Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view wherein the body of a two-piece hard gelatine capsule is shown in the outer drum in the process of being filled with material in powder or particulate form contained in the outer drum which is rotating counter clockwise; Figure 7is afragmentarycross sectional viewsim- ilarto the cross sectional view in Figure 5 wherein the filled body of a two-piece hard gelatine capsule is being forced upwards in the pocket in the outer drum by means of a pin in a pin block located belowthe outer drum;; Figure 8 is a fragmentary cross sectional view similarto the views in Figures 5 and 7, wherein thefilled bodyofatwo-piece hard gelatine capsule has been forced into full engagement with the cap of a twopiece hard gelatine capsule contained in the inner drum buy a pin in the pin block located belowtheouter drum; Figure 9 is a fragmentary cross sectional view wherein following the operation shown in Figure8 the filled two-piece hard gelatine capsule is shown in the inner drum with the inner drum in a raised position.

The invention will now be described in more detail in relation to Figures 1 to 9.

In the description given the container body and the container cap refer to body 28 and cap 29 ofthetwopiece hard gelatine capsule 30 shown in Figure3,for the purpose of illustration.

Figure 1 shows outer drum 1, rotatable about a horizontal axis, driven by a variable speed drive 3 and supported on column 2 and innerdrum 13 supported on column 14, mounted on a common sliding bed 27.

The column 14supporting innerdrum 13 isslidable on common bed 27 to move the inner drum 13 to insert it into the outer drum 1 orto move it away from the outer drum. The outer drum 1 may be rotated manually by knob4and the innerdrum 13 may be rotated manually by knob 15, particularly for inde xing. The heightofthe innerdrum 13 is adjustable by means of lever 16 mounted on column 14.

Inner covers 7 with followers 9 shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4 mounted on outer drum 1 are operated by cam mechanisms 11 and 12 adjacent the upper-most and lower-most parts of the outer drum 1. The cam mechanisms 11 and 12 may operate in synchronisation with each other or individually with one ofthe cam mechanisms disengaged from followers 9.

The outer drum 1 has removable circular plates 10 attached to both end faces. The plates 10 have small central openings and may be made oftransparent material in two halves and secured to the drum 1 with screws. Both ends of each inner cover 7 project out of the two circular plates 10. Also mounted on common sliding bed 27 is a base plate 21 supporting a vacuum block 22 and a pin block 24 shown in Figure 2. The vacuum block 22 is fitted with a vacuum tube 23 con nectedtoavacuum source (notshown) and the pin block 24 with pins 25 is fitted with cam mechanisms 26 for moving pins 24 upwards or downwards.The base plate 21 is slidable across common sliding bed 27 to bring the vacuum block 22 directly below and in contact with the lower most part of the outer drum 1 orto bring the pin block 24 directly below the lower mostpartoftheouterdrum 1.

The inner drum 1 and the outer drum 13 are gener allysimilar in design and construction, particularlyin regard to axial rows of pockets 5 with orifices 6 and inner covers 7 with perforations 8 in outer drum 1 and axial rows of pockets 17 with steps 18 and inner covers 19 with perforations 20 in the inner drum 13.

As illustrated in Figures 1,2 and 4the outer drum 1 has a plurality of axial rows of pockets 5, the radially outer ends of which have orifices 6 slightly smaller in diameter than the diameter of the pockets, for receiving the container bodies 28 and the radially inner ends of the pockets of each row can be closed or opened by separate inner covers 7 which are axially slidable between closed and open positions. The inner covers 7, which can be in the form of perforated plates which are slidable axially ofthe outer drum to align the performations 8, which are slightly larger than the diameter ofthe pockets 5, with the pockets or move them out ofalignmentto close the pockets 5, can be operated automatically in timed sequence by cam mechanisms 11 and 12 adjacent the uppermost and lowermost parts ofthe outer drum.

The loading of the outer drum 1 can be carried out by means of an inner drum 13, the height of which is adjustable, carrying the closed but empty containers 30, comprising bodies 28 and caps 29, with the bodies 28 projecting radially outwards and caps 29 retained inside, which is inserted into the interior of the outer drum 1, the circular plate 10 on the particular side having first been removed.As illustrated in Figure4the inner drum 13 has axial row of pockets 17,for holding the closed containers 30,which are aligned with the pockets 5 in the outer drum 1 .With the inner cover 7 in open position the emptycon- tainers 30 in a roware aligned with a row of empty pockets 5 located in the lower most position on the outer drum 1 and the inner drum 13 is lowered so that the body portions 28 ofthe containers 30 in a row partiallyenterthe empty pockets 5 in the outerdrum 1 and vacuum is applied to the orifices 6 in the outer ends ofthe pockets 5 in the outer drum 1 to discharge bodies 28 of the containers 30 from the caps 29 and draw them fully into pockets Sin the outer drum 1.

The inner drum 13 is raised back to its original posi tion,the innercover7 is then closed on the row of loaded cavities 5 and after indexing the outer drum 1 and the innerdrum 13to repeatthe loading operation for each axial row of pockets Sthe inner drum 13 can be removed carrying the caps 29 with it.

After the inner drum 13 is clear of the outer drum 1 filling material 31 in powder or particulate form is added to the inside drum 1 and circular plate 10 is secured in place by means of screws or other fastening means, the outer drum 1 is set in rotation as shown in Figure 6, the inner covers 7 are opened to allowthefilling material 31 in powder or particulate form to enterthe container bodies 28 which are retained in the pockets 5 when in the upper part ofthe outer drum 1 by centrifugal action. When the container bodies 28 arefull,the inner covers 7 are closed, and the outer drum 1 is stopped to allowthe application of caps 29 to the bodies 28.

Forapplying caps 29to the containers 28, the inner drum 13 carrying the caps 29 is inserted into the in teriorofthe outer drum 1 and lowered to bring its out diameter close to the inner covers 7, the circular plate 10 and any excess powder or particulate material 31, having first been removed.With the i nner covers 7 in open position the caps 29 in a row are aligned with a rowoffilled container bodies 28 located in the lower most position on the outer drum 1, and as illustrated in Figures 7,8 and 9 pins 25 in a cam driven pin block 24 are raised through the orifices 6 in the outer ends of pockets 5 to push the container bodies 28 up into engagementwith caps 29 and the inner drum 13 is raised to clearthe containers 30 off the pockets 5 in the outer drum 1. After indexing the outer drum 1 and the inner drum 13to repeat the closing operation for each axial row of containers 30, the inner drum 13 can be removed carrying the filled containers 30 with it and the containers 30 can be ejected from the inner drum 13 and replaced by fresh empty containers 30.

To assist filling ofthe container bodies 28 with powder or particulate material 31 in their lower most position the inner covers 7 can be tapered across theirwidthto present a high trailing edge astheouter drum 1 rotates. The powder or particulate material 31 is, therefore, swept up the inclined surface ofthe inner cover7 and directed intothe perforations 8 in the inner cover 7. The filling material 31 in powderor particulate form may also be supplied to outerdrum 1, during its rotation, through the central hole in cir cularplate 10.

The pockets 17 ina rowintheinnerdrum 13cane loaded manuallywithcontainers30when attheir lowest position with the inner covers 19 in open position. The inner covers 19 can then be closed as the inner drum 13 is indexed and the next row of pockets is moved to the loading position.

The loading ofthe outer drum 1 with container bodies 28 and loading ofthe inner drum 13 with container caps 29 only can also be carried out manually.

Claims (12)

1. A method of filling containers, particularly two piece hard gelatine capsules of any of the range of sizes currently available with powdered or particu- late materials wherein the container bodies are up ported in an outer drum rotatable abouta horizontal axis with their open ends facing towards the axis of the outer drum, thefilling material is supplied tothe interior of the outer drum, the outer drum is rotated to causethefilling material to enterthecontainer bodies in the lower part ofthe outer drum and to be retained in the container bodies and the open ends of the container bodies are then covered before rotation ofthe outer drum is stopped.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said open ends of the containers are covered with displaceable covers in the empty state and said displaceable covers are slided in timed sequence whilst the said outerdrum is rotating to uncovertheopen ends of the said containers and fill the said containers and are slided to coverthe said open ends of the filled containers before the rotation of the outer drum is stopped.

3. An apparatus for carrying outthe method claimed in claim 1, comprising a rotatable outer drum having a plurality of axial rows of pockets for receiving the container bodies the radially outer ends ofwhich have orificesslightlysmallerin diameter than the diameter of the pockets for giving accessto either a vacuum source or a container pushing pin and the radially inner ends of the pockets of each row having means to close or open the pockets in timed sequence and means for loading and unloading the said pockets of the containers in the empty and filled states respectively.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the said pockets of each row are provided with displaceable covers, axially slidable between closed and open positions.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein cams are provided to slide the said displaceable covers between closed and open positions.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein removable circular plates are provided on either end of said outer drum.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claims 3 and 6, wherein the said circular plates have an opening to introduce powder or particulate materials into the in teriorofthesaid outerdrum.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 and 4, wherein the said displaceable covers are tapered acrosstheirwidth.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the said meansforloading and unloading the said outer drum consists of an inner drum whose height is adjustable and having rows of pockets axially disposed and aligned with the pockets of the said outer drum, said rows of pockets adapted to hold the said containers.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claims 3 and 9, wherein the said outer and inner drums are mounted on columns and mounted on a common sliding bed.

11. A method offilling containers substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. An apparatus forfilling containers substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.