524,207. Filling bottles &c. GREINER, C. F., and LIQUID CARBONIC CO., Ltd. Jan. 24, 1939. No. 2434. [Class 125 (ii)] Apparatus for filling bottles &c. with carbonated liquids &c. in the absence of air, in which the pressure in the container is initially slightly less than .the pressure tending to deliver the liquid thereinto but after partial filling is reduced to accelerate the liquid flow, comprises a filling tank 5 and filling tubes 9, Fig. 2, slidably supported on each of which is a housing 27 adapted to contact, by a gasket 29, with the container, and having in its upper part a pressure chamber 30, and at its top a seat 31 to receive the end of tubes 18 and a seat 32 which engages a gasket 33 on a neck 16. The container is raised in engagement with gasket 29 and housing 27 is raised until seat 32 contacts gasket 33. Simultaneously the lower end of tube 18 engages seat 31 and movement of housing. 27 raises valve so admitting pressure to chamber 17, and thence through tube 18 and chamber 30 to the container, the gas passing between seat 32 and tube 9. This pressure builds up in passages 25, 24 'and the pressure chamber 13 above diaphragm 12 brings stem 11 down to open valve 10 and permit liquid to flow from tank 5 to the container. A rotatable water-sealed, tube 34, Fig. 1, is carried by a support 3 and has a central rotor portion 36 with ports 44, one for each filler valve. Within tank 34 are cylinders 37, 38, the top of the latter constituting a counter-pressure stator valve 39 having a groove 41 communicating by ports 40 with cylinder 37. Ports 42 extend to a groove 43 in the stator and also communicate with cylinder 38. Co-operating with rotor valve member 36 is a vacuum valve stator head 46 having a port 47 connected to a vacuum producing means. Port 47 communicates with a groove 49 in the stator which during rotation of rotor 36 communicates at appropriate times with ports 44, of the rotor 36. Pressure carbon dioxide is admitted to water tank 34 and cylinders 37, 38 through a coupling 5d, pressure between tank 5 and tank 34 being equalized by a connection 52; this pressure maintains the water level in tank 34 at a predetermined point with both cylinders 37, 38 empty, the pressure being higher in cylinder 38 owing to its increased length than in cylinder 37. Rotation of cylinder support 3 opens valves 20 and produces vacuum in the container; continued rotation places cylinder 38 into communication with the container at a pressure less than that tending to cause exit of liquid from tank 5. The building up of this pressure actuates diaphragm 13 and opens valve 10 which admits liquid from tank 5 against the pressure in the container. When port 44 passes from groove 43 to groove 41 the container is in communication with the low-pressure cylinder 37 and filling is rapidly completed.