GB702211A - Improvements in or relating to bottle filling machines - Google Patents

Abstract

702,211. Rotary bottling machines. FARRINGDON WORKS & H. PONTIFEX & SONS, Ltd., and KNOWLES, G. Oct. 8, 1951 [July 7, 1950], No. 17070/50. Class 125 (2). A rotary counterpressure bottling machine comprises a reservoir 1 surmounting a balancing or levelling pressure chamber 33 and an annular trough 4 joined to the reservoir 1 by pipes 2 and divided into three annular chambers 3, 21, 14 which communicate with filling heads 23 having valves 24 rotated by appropriately disposed trips around the machine. The pressure in chamber 33 is maintained constant by a valve 18, a diaphragm c of which is subject to the pressure in chamber 33 on one side and, on the other side, to the pressure in the reservodr 1 and the force of a spring within the valve. When the pressure in chamber 33 rises, the diaphragm rises to open a valve element d which allows the pressure to snift. By varying the tension of the spring by the adjustment e, the pressure in chamber 33 and hence the liquid level in bottles 26 can be altered. In operation the bottle first communicates with chamber 14 of the trough and is counterpressed therefrom. It then communicates with chambers 3 and 21 receiving liquid from the former, the displaced gas flowing into the latter through a restricting valve 147, Fig 5, when it is shifted to the atmosphere or passes back to the reservoir 1. The bottle is then connected to the chamber 3 and, by a pipe 32, to the balancing chamber 33 until the filling is completed. Gas and liquid supply to reservoir. Compressed gas flows from a main 9 through a pipe 10, filter 11, a pipe 12, a normally open valve 15 and a pipe 16 to the top of the reservoir 1 and to the counterpressure chamber 14 in the trough 4. Liquid flows to the reservoir 1 through a fluid pressure actuated valve 6 and a pipe 5 and, when it reaches the desired level, a float 38. closes a valve 37 in a pipe 38a joining the reservoir to a space above a diaphragm in the valve 15. When the liquid level drops, the valve 37 opens and pressure gas from the reservoir acts onthe diaphragm to close valve 15 to cut off the supply of gas and the pressure is then snifted to atmosphere through a snift 40 thus allowing the reservoir to fill up again until the valve 37 again closes. The balancing chamber 33 is supplied with compressed gas through a pipe 35 and the snift valve 18 is connected to the chamber 33 and to the reservoir by pipes 34, 17. Filling heads (Figs. 5 and 10). Each filling head comprises a fillingtube 30 having associated ports 29, 29a in a block 103 for supplying liquid from the chamber 3. A sleeve 100 having a bottle hood 25 is raised by a bottle to contact a seal 99 having a passage 107 associated with ports 27, 27a for supplying counterpressure from the chamber 14. Passage 107 also is associated with ports 28. 28a leading to the displaced gas chamber 21. Passage 107 communicates with the bottle through the clearance between sleeve .100 and tube 30. The block 103 is fitted with a valve plug having a counterpressure bore 106 adapted to join the ports 27, 27a. an axial bore 109 and radial bores 110 to join the liquid ports 29. 29a and two bores 113 which are bent aroumd the bore 109 and join ports 28, 28a for displaced gas. Bores 113 have radial branches 115, 116 which join the port 28a to the end of pipe 32. during balancing. Fig. 10 shows the positions of the bores when the bottle communicates with the chambers 3, 21. The bore 109 includes a ball 111 to interrupt any sudden liquidflow as described in Specification 17296/12, [Class 125 (ii)]. The bores 110 have peripheral extensions 112.which allow liquid to flow during both the gas displacement and the balancing stages. Grooves 128 connect the ports27a. 29a when the valve is closed to allow liquid to drain from the tube, 30 before the bottle descends. The valve plug is fitted with a toothed wheel 117 engaged by trips around the filling machine, the first tooth to be tripped being offset from the others and engaging a special trip which is only set in operative position when a bottle is present. The offset tooth carries a pawl 118 engaging a projection119 on the block 103 so that, by reverse rotation of the plug. the valve can be initially set in its closed position. The wheel 117and the valve plug are arranged in two symmetrical halves and make one revolution in controlling the fillingof two bottles. The trough 4 has a cover secured thereon by clamps. The chamber 21 communicates with the reservoir 1 through a pipe20 having a non-return valve 19 and with a snifting valve 42 held in the open position by fluid pressure. A drain is provided to remove fob from the chamber 33. Control system. Compressed air flows through a pipe 47.a hand-operated on-off valve 49 and a pine 50 to three valves 51, 53, 57 having plungers 54, 55. 58 and arranged in series. Valves 51, 53 areactuated by downward movement of springsloaded collars 138 brought about by teeth 140 riding up on coacting teeth on the shafts 139 of starwheels 97a. 97 whenever one of these jams. Starwheels 97, 97a feed and discharge the bottles to and from the machine. Valve 57 is located adjacent a flange 142 of the cam rail 95 controlling the bottle rests. If one of these jams the rail 95 moves around its axis slightly and operates theplunger 58 and is later restored by a spring 143. Operation of the plungers 54,55 or 58 vents the control'system to the atmosphere. From valve 57, the compressed air flows by a pipe 59 to liquid supply valve 6 where it acts on diaphragm 61 to open the valve. It also flows by pipe 65 to throw in air-operated clutch 66 controlling the power supply to worm 70 which rotates the machine and by pipe 72 to actuate a diaphragm in snifting valve 42for the displaced gas. Therefore, upon failure or venting of the control system, rotation of the machine is stopped and the snifting valve 42 and the liquid supply valve 6 closed. The balancing valve 18 is fully described in Specification 702.237, [Group XXIX], and the control system forms the invention of Specification 702,238. Specification 639,380 also is referred to.