US1436732A - Bottle-filling machine - Google Patents

Description

H. M. SMITH. B OTTLFILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IULY I9. |918.

Patentd Nov. 28, 1922;

4. SHEETSSHEET l.

Inn/"erm M. SMHH. BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I9. ISHS.

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H. IVI. SMITH.

BOTTLE FILLING NIACHLNE.

APPLICATION FILED 1ULY19.|9|8.

SSQ. Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

Inverr H. IVI. SIVIITII.

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19. 1918.

ASSQ. y f Patented Nov. 28, 1922,

4 SHEETS--SIILEI 4.

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PatentedjNov. 28, i922.

raam

HORACE M. SMITH-, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LIQUID CARBONIO COMPAN'Y,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BOTTLE-FILLING MACHINE.

Application led July 19, 918. Serial No. 245,605.

To all whom it may cm1/060%.'

Be it known that I, Horner. M. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to filling machines employed for filling charged liquids such as carbonated water and the like but in someof its features it is applicable to the filling of uncharged liquids. In filling charged liquids it is desirable to secure as high a content of gas as possible in the liquid as it is actually discharged into the bottles, and with this in view it has been the practice, before flowing the liquid into the bottle to be filled to lill the bottle with gas or air under a pressure almost equal to the sum of the gas or `air pressure on theA filling tank and the hydrostatic pressure of the column of liquid from the level of the bottle to the top of the liquid in the filling tank. Nhen the liquid flows into the bottle against this counter-pressure the rate of flow is slow, theliquid is under continuous pressure and there is little release of the gas with which the liquid is charged in consequence. Ordinarily the liquid is charged into the bottles at the same pressure at' which it is charged orfimpregnated with gas. The high pressure, however, is difficult to maintain and handleand results in frequent breakage of bottles 'and great loss of gas, particularly when the bottles have to be transferred from the filling machine to a topping or corking machine in' the uncovered condition. I have found that by charging or impregna-ting the liquid to the saturation point, or substantially so, under a pressure considerably in excess of that ultimately desired and then reducing the pressure to that desired by passing it througha suitable pressure reducer, taking due precaution that the gas is not released during'the reduction or during the flow to the filling tank and the bottles, I am able to secure and preserve a condition of supersaturation of the liquid and to fill it into the bottles at relatively low pressure without substantial loss. This method of operation forms the subject matter of a Patent No. 1,275,622 granted to me August 13, 1918. The presentnvention relates in part to the apparatus which I have devised for practicmg said process. It further relates to means for controlling the pressure reducer according to the counter-pressure against which the filling operation is effected.

Ordinarily in the filling ofbottles. a machine is employed in which an annular lilling tank receives the liquid to be bottled and discharges it into the bottles to be Ifilled through a number of filling heads connected to and communicating with the bottom of the tank, the filling being performed automatically by rotating the tank, feeding bot y chines of this character, that breakage o ocurs or the bottles jam or become caught in the filling heads due to defects or virregulari- .ties in the bottles and it is desirable under these circumstances to 4immediately Stop the 'machine until the broken or defective bottle is removed and at the same time to stop, during the stoppage of the machine, the How of 1i uid to the tank. I have therefore interposed between thedriving means and the rotary part of the machine a clutch operated by pneumatic. pressure and provided with means whereby in the event of such breakage or jamming of the machine the clutch is immedlately uncoupled and further damage is prevented. -Other features of the inven- .tion will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and claims and the accompanying drawings. Itis to be understood, however, that the specific disclosure of the preferred-form of my apparatus made herein is for the purpose of eX- emplifcation only and that the scope of the invention is defined in the following claims in which I have endeavored to distinguish it from the prior art so far as known to me wvithout, however, relinquishing or abandoning any feature or portion thereof.

Referrin to the drawingsT Fig, l is a cen-v tral vertic section through the upper part 'pf a filling machine of the type to which my invention is applied, arts being shown in elevation; Fig. 2 a si e elevation of the entire machine and associated elements; Fig. 3 a central vertical section, of the preferred form ofk pressure reducer on an enlarged scale, arts being shown in elevation; Fig. 4 a simi ar section of another detail; Fig. 5 is an axial section through a pneumatic clutch employed in connection with my invention; Flg. 6 a plan of a detail on an enlarged scale; Fig. 7 a horizontal sec-tion on an enlarged scale of another detail; Fig. 8 another detail in elevation; and Fig. 9 yet another detail in plan.

The same reference character is applied to each part wherever it occurs in the several views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the filling machine shown therein is in the main, and except in the respects hereinafter pointed out, of a well-known construction. A sub# stantial base 8 of cast met-al or the like supports a column or standard upon which is Journalled a rotating sleeve 9 carrying a frame 10. Said frame supports an annular coaxially arranged filling tank 11 vfrom the bottom of which project filling valves 12 slidingly mounted in and communicating With the interior of the tank and carrying centering bells 13 at their respective ends. In the figures only a few of these filling .valves are shown but itis to be understood that they are arranged at frequent intervals entirely around the tank. Beneath the tank a spider 14 is carried by the rotary head or frame and a series of plungers or followers 15 corresponding in number and position to the filling valves are slidingly mounted in said spider. For the sake of clearness, in F 1g. 2. only a relatively small number of these vplungers are shown. The plungers are operated by arms 16 pivoted on a flange 17 on the sleeve 9 ofthe rotating head or vsupport-,said arms being connected to their respectlve plungers by pitmen 18 'and also having rollers19 which bear upon a flange 2O on the stationary base of such form that afterthe plungers receive the bottles at the enterlng position of the machine they are raised successively by the cam operating on the rollers of the arms, thus forcing the mouths of the bottles into the respective filling valves. and raising the latter thus opening the valves land permitting the bottles to I be Vfilled with liquid in a manner hereinafter described.

The filling tank is supplied -with liquid through al pipe 21 extending through thel pedestal or standard on which rotates a union 22 carried by the head, the joint between the union and pipe being provided with a stuffing box at 23. From the union branch pipes 24 supply the liquid to the tank. The tank and the bottles are supplied withgas or airunder pressure from a combottle.

mon source through the pipe 25 which is connected to the high pressure air chamber axially as at 26. The details of this construction are well known and in common use and therefore need not be described. The

-high pressure air chamber 27 is connected to the filling valves by pipes 28 so that the bottles receive the air from chamber 27 at full pressure. Chamber 27 is surrounded by a second chamber 29 which receives air from the chamber 27 but at a somewhat reduced pressure, this pressure reduction being due to the hydrostatic pressure of the water 30 contained in chamber 29, the air escaping into chamber 29 only after it has displaced the Water' from high pressure chamber 27 sufficiently to permit the air to escape through the perforations at the bottom of the wall of the latter. The low pressure air chamber 29 is connected by pipes 31 to the space above the liquid in the filling tank. Tater to a proper aniount may be charged into the chamber 29 through the cock 32, it being necessary for the most efficient operation of the machine that the hydrostatic pressure of the water 30 opposing the air pressure in thechamber 27 be equal tothe hydrostatic pressure of the liquid in the tank on the bottles when the latter are filled to the required height. Y

As each bottle is raised by the mechanism heretofore described the 'bell top first opens the connection tothe high pressure air cha-mf ber, thus giving l'the bottle the required counter-pressure and then opens the liquid ,valve by which the liquid is permitted to flow into the bottle under its hydrostatic pressure plus the gas or air pressure of the tank and against the counter- )ressure in the As the bottle fills with liquid, the counter-pressure gas contained therein is driven back into the tank 29 until .the level of the liquid in the bottle is' such that equilibrium is reached when the further How of liquid to the bottle ceases. After the filling operation is completed the further rotation of the bott-le and its support brings it to the point on the stationary cam where the bottle is again lowered and in position to be fed out from the machine with its contained liquid.

The rotation of the machine is effected by means of an electric or other motor 33, a pinion 34 on the shaft whereof drives' a gear 35 fast to one member of a clutch to be pres ently described, the other member of which is fast to a gear 36 meshing with an idler gear 37 which in turn engages a gear 38 vformed integrally with a bevel pinion 39,

(see dotted lines in Fig. 2). The latter drives an upright. shaft 40 *byieni'fr ng a bevel pinion 41 thereon rand shaft at its lower end a pinion 42 and' lie 'flatter drives a pinion 43 which meshes with and drives the circular4 rack 44 upon the tank Ifiso spider. While the above is a satisfactory arrangement of gearing, obviously it is only one of many that might be employed for the purpose.

Returning to the clutch it will be seen that the gear 35 is cast with a concentric chamber section 45 and the latter is formed with a hub 46 projecting thereinto for a purpose which will presently appear. The driving member 47 `of the clutch is within the chamber casting 45 and mounted for axial movement relative thereto and provided with perforated bifurcated lugs 48 which embrace studs or pins 49 projecting inward from the wall 50 of said chamber casting. Between said wall and lugs and surrounding the respective pins 49 are springs 51 which tend by their expansion to force. clutch member 47 axially `away from the driven clutch member 52. The latter is rotatively journalled in the hub or hollow boss 46 of the chamber casting 45, being formed for this purpose with a hollow hub 53 which receives the reduced end 54 of the shaft 55 on which gear 436 heretofore mentioned is mounted. The hub 53 is clamped between an outside washer 56 upon said shaft and a smaller washer 57 secured to the end 54 of the shaft by a screw 58. The hub 46 is loosely embraced between the disc portion 59 of the clutch member and the washer 56 so that relative rotary movement but no axial movement between the casting 45 and thel inner clutch member is possible. A diaphragm 60 is securedv over the open side of the chamber 45 by means of a cap plate 61v which is bolted to the casting 45 by bolts 62, (see Fig. 5). The cap plate 61 is slightly concave as shown forming an air chamber 63 which is supplied with air through a pipe 64 which is suitably packed by gland 65. From the above description of the construction it will be understood that when there is no air pressure in the chamber 63 or insuicient pressure to overcome the spring 51 the clutch members are separated at their conical surfaces so that the driving member is free to rotate without rotating the inner driven member. When, however, suiiicient pressure is applied to the chamber 63 the clutch members are engaged and rotated in unison by the motor and so drive the spider.

In the' construction shown the pipe 64is connected through a pressure reducer 66 and pipe 67 to a suitable source of air pressure, the regulator or reducing valvey 66 reducing the pressure to just what is necessary to ymaintain the clutch members in engagement during 'the normal operation of the machine.

As seen in Figs. 2 and 8 there is a by-pass 68 about said reducing Valve which is controlled by a starting Valve 69 (see Fig. v7). Obviously la much looserengagement between the clutch members is necessary after the inertia of the parts is overcome and they -outlet.

are set in rotation than isrequired to start? the machine, and as it is desirable for reasons which will presentlyy appear` that the pressure in the clutch chamber be no greater at any timethan is essential, I have provided this by-pass so that the full pressure of the source may be employed t'o start the machine and then any further access of air be regulated by the'reducing valve so as to reduce the pressure to the minimum required. I have shown the valve 69 as comprising a casting 70 having a valve chamber 71 closed by a cap 72 and a valve 73 seating therein with the pressure. 74 indicates the inlet to the valve casing and 75 the The valve member 73 is provided witha stem piece 76. When the machine is to be started the stem piece is depressed with the thumb by the operator who is obliged, however, to release it before he is free to arrange the bottles in the bottle-feed so that there is no possibility of maintaining the valve 73 open longer than is required to start the machine. At Isome suitable point as at 77, see Fig. 8, I have arranged a leak opening whereby the preure in excess of that supplied-through the pressure-reducing valve is permitted to exhaust during the normal operation of the machine. It will thusl be seen that in starting the machine after a stoppage the operator opens the valve 69 which permits the full pressure toenter the diaphragm chamber of the clutch and to cause the clutch members to firmly engage each other. By this means the imachine is started in rotation through the mechanism heretofore described. has started the operator necessarily releases thevalve 69 to handle the bottle which Valve thereupon returns to its seat thus cutting ofi"l the direct supply oit' full air pressure. The pressure is then supplied through the pressure reducer 66 which reduces it to the degree necessary to maintain the engagement of the clutch during normal'operation. The pressure in the system beyond the pressure reducer quickly drops toy that for which the latterI device is set by reason of the leak-- age through a hole 77. A pressure gauge is shown at 78, a check valve for preventing back-pressiire through the pressure gauge at v79 and an ordinary turning plug at 80 for cutting oil' the supply when desired.

In machines of this character the filling valves occasionally stick in a raised position with the bottles attached thereto, be-v cause of the jamming of the iilling tube in the neck of the bottle due to irregularities in theV latter. `When this occurs, for ob- After the machine which is operated by any belltop which has stuck in the raised position and which is connected by pipe 82 with the air supply pipe 64 for the clutch so as to immediately reduce the pressure in the pneumatic chamber of the clutch when the valve is open. The valve may be of any desired character but I have shown it as an ordinary reciprocating valve 83, the stem 84 of which projects outside the valve casing in position to be operated by an arm 85 pivoted at 86 to a bracket, see Fig. 6. The bracket is connected to the stationary part of the machine in such a location and is so arranged that the arm 85l will clear the filling tubes 12 as the filling tank revolves so long as said tubes are in the normal lowered position. When, however, a belltop fails to return to its lowermost position, as for example, by the sticking of a bottle on the filling tube, it engages lthe arm 85 which,'as the belltop wipes past it, is repressed against the stem 84 of the valve and opens the latter releasing the pressure in the pneumatic chamber in the clutch and permitting theclutch to open and stop the machine.

It is also desirable to stop the machine when for any reason the bottles become jammed in feeding them to the several supports by which they are raised into the filling position as before described. Commonly in machines of this character the bottles are fed along the guideway in a constant stream or procession, single file, at a speed and under sufiicient pressure from behind to drive them into the successive bottle supports as the latter are presented to the feeding mechanism. The end section 88 of the wall 89 of the bottle guide ory channel is pivoted as at 90 and yieldingly maintained in position by a spring 91. \If, for any reason the bottles jam in the channel they force the pivoted wall backward to enlarge the space at the end of the channel l (see Fig. 9). The pivoted section-88 has a depending portion 92 and an exhaust valve 93 is connected to the by-pass 68 and so located with reference to said depending portion 92 of the pivoted wall vsection that its stem 94 is adapted to he struck by the latter when saidpivoted section ispressed back by the jamming of the bottles, as heretofore described. The operation of the valve 93 permits the flow of air from the tube\, 64 to the atmosphere thus reducing the pressure in the pneumatic clutch and stopping the machine. The purpose of normally maintaining only such a pressure in the pipe 64 andfpneumatic chamber of the clutch, as will suffice to hold the clutch in engagement will now be obvious as it is essential to the most effective operation of they machine that it be stopped immediately when irregularities of the kind above described occur in the operation of the ma'- chine, and this can only beJMQQBIlIedby keeping the pressure just above'fthat essenv tial to maintain the clutch members in operative engagement.

In an earlier portion of the specification I have described the chambers 27, 29 for maintaining the required difference in pressure between the tank above the liquid and the bottles being filled. I further refer to the pipe 25 for supplying the air under the requisite pressure to the chamber 27. Obviously theair forsupplying the pressure to the tank and bottles might and ordinarily would be taken from the same source of supply as that which controls the pneumatic clutch. In the particular embodiment of the invention chosen for illustration I have shown the air for the tank as supplied from a separate source by means of .a pipe 95 leading to chamber 96 from whichy air is conducted by pipe 97to pipe 25 and thence to the tank. The pressure Iin the chamber- 96 is shown by gauge 99. l

The liquid to be filled is fed Jfrom the carbonator represented diagrammatically at l100 to a pressure reducer 101 and thence by pipe 102 to the axial pipe 21 heretofore described by which it is conducted to the revolving union 22 and thence by pipes 24 to thetank. In the pressure reducer the liquid which has been charged at a much higher pressure than that under which it is to be filled, say fifty pounds, is reduced in pressure to the condition in which itis to be filled, say twentyl five pounds; This pressure reduction 1s effected by a valve under certain counterweight and controlled from the gas or air pressure supplied to the tank and bottles -as heretofore described. It will be apparent from what has gone before that in order to secure quiet filling of the liquid .the difference in pressure between the counterpressure. gas or air and the -liquid be maintained constant as a change in the relative pressure must result either in a stoppage of the fiow of the liquid or objectionable foambine the regulation of this difference in pressure with the hereinbcfore -described reduction in pressure of the liquid to be filled. By properly conducting the pressure v-reduction and the transfer of the liquid from the pressure reducer to the tank and bottles, the release of gas with which the liquid has been charged is almost entirely Vprevented not-A withstanding thev reduction in pressure re- `ing. By my improved arrangement I cominlet and exhaust pipesA 106, 107, leading respectively from the carbonator and to they valve chamber 109 open at its upper and lower ends, the upper end being provided with a cover plate 110 upon which the valve seat 111 is formed and the lower open end of the valve chamber being screw-threaded at 112 to receive an annulus 113 on which the lowervalve seat is formed. Upon a stem 114 is mounted a sleeve 115 the upper end of which is flanged as at 116 to form a support for the upper valve washer 117. Said washer is maintained in place by an annulus 118 having a projecting lip 119 bearing on the outer edge of said washer, said annulus being in turn held in position by an internally threaded ring 120 engaging a thread on the periphery of the flange 116 and having an inwardly directed flange 121 extending over and engagingsaid annulus. The lower valve comprises .in annulus 122 which is secured upon the valve stem and supports the washer 123. Said washer is secured at its edges by an annulus 124 which in turn is held by an interiorly threaded ring 125 screwed upon the annulus 122. The latter is formed with an upwardly extending sleeve or hub 126 threaded exteriorly| and receiving lock nuts 127, 128 by which the inner edge of the washer is held in place on the annulus 122. The latteris clamped by a nut 129 screwed upon a reduced portion of the valve stem 114. The sleeve 115 is maintained against upward movement relative to the stem 114 by a casting 130 to be later described.

The shell or casing 103 is closed at the lower opening 131 by a cap plate 132, the before-mentioned stem being reduced at 133 and projecting axially through. said cap plate and packed with reference thereto at 134.

The opening of the balanced valve is opposed by a counterweighted lever 135 which is fulcrumed by means of a ball-bearing at 136 to a stationary bearing bracket 137 on the stand, the short end 138 of said lever vbeing recessed or hollowed to receive the lower end of a thrust rod or link 140 the upper end of which is headed or rounded as at 141 to bear in a cavity 142 in the lower end ofthe valve stem. The latter is threaded to receive a cap 143 by which the headed link or thrust rod is secured to the valve stem, without, however, preventing free angular movement relative thereto. the lever isshown at 144. In the construction shown the reducing chamber is supported by a hollow'standard 145.

The upper opening 146 of the casing or shell is closed by a domed cover 147 which is formed at 148 with a guide for the upper end of the valve rod. Between the -iianges The weight on 149, 150 on the dome and shell respectively is clamped a diaphragm 151 of rubber or other suitable flexible material which not only packs the joint but, in conjunction with the casting 130, referred to above, serves to separate the liquid chamber of the shell from the air chamber of the dome. The casting 130 is formed with a downwardly projecting sleeve 152 which bears against sleeve 115 above described and maintains the latter in position, the casting itself being prevented from upward movement on the valve stem,

which it surrounds, by nuts 153 screwed upon said stem. The diaphragm 151 is annular, the central opening receiving the circular shouldered projection 154 on the casting and the inner edge of said diaphragm being secured to casting 130 by an annulus 155 bolted to the latter. The air or gas space within the dome 147 is connected by a pipe 156 to the chamber 96 whereby the pressure within the dome is normally that of the gas or air supplied to the tank and bottles. For obvious reasons it is desirable that the flow of liquid to the tank be cut off whenever the machine is stopped. This is accomplished in my apparatus by relieving the pressure in the dome 147 at the same time that it is relieved in the clutch. For this purpose I provide an air relief valve mechanism 157, see Figs. 2 and 4, which is controlled by the pressure inthe piping leading to the pneumatic clutch and which controls an escape from the dome 147. Valve mechanism 157 comprises a casing 158 divided by diaphragm 159 clamped between the sections of said casing, as shown in Fig. 4. The upper half of the casing communicates through an opening 160 with pipe 161 leading to the pipe 64 by which the pneumatic clutch is controlled. The lower section of the casing beneath the diaphragm is connected by a pipe 162 to said dome 147. A valve seat 163 is formed on an inwardly projecting perforated boss 164 and is controlled by a valve connected to the diaphragm 159. This valve comprises an eXteriorly threaded thimble 165 which is secured to the diaphragm by means of a threaded plug or extension 166 formed on the guide member- 167 below the ilange 168 thereof. The screw plug 166 extends through the diaphragm, the adjacent edge of' which is clamped between flange 168 and flange 169 on the thimble 165. A stem 170 on the guide member extends into a bearingA boss 171 on the upper half of the casing to guide said stem and the valve attached thereto.. The valve washer 172 is securedl to the thimble 165 by means of the interiorl threaded and flanged annulus 173 whic screws upon said thimble. -Between the flange 169 on the thimble and the bottom 174 of the casing' is a spring 175, the resistance to compression of which is determined by the pressure to be maintained' in the dome 147. A small outlet passage 176 maintains the interior of the lower halrl of the casing at atmospheric pressure. rlf'he pressure of the counterpressure air or gas in the upper half of the casing is suiicient under normal conditions to maintain the valve firmly on its seat against the pressure of the spring 175. Thus the pressure in the dome is normally maintained at that required to sutiiciently overbalance the weighted leverA 135 to secure the desired reduction in pressure of the liquid. When, however, the pressure in the system controlling the pneumatic clutch falls, for any reason, thereby opening the clutch, the pressure on the diaphragm 159 correspondingly falls and the valve in .the casing 158 rises putting the interior of the dome 14'7 into communication with the atmosphere a suiiicient length of time to reduce the pressure in said chamber to that desired, preferably to four pounds. In order that this may be accomplished notwithstanding the connection of the-dome spac'e to the counterpres# sure gas supply, the communication between the dome and the pipe 156 must be made very minute and for this purpose the opening 177 through the base ofthe socket 178 which receives the pipe 176 is made very fine. The exhaust valve when open readily takes care of the gassu plied through the aperture 177 but when c osed'such aperture is sufficient to quickly restore the counterpressure in the dome. When the operating pressure in the piping 64 and in the upper half of the casing 158 is restored it again closes the valve. In the meantime, however, the balanced valve in the pressure reducer is closed shutting ofi' the supply of liquid which remains cut ofi' until operating pressure is restored in the piping 64.

The pressure reducer constructed .as shown and described above is exceedingly delicate in its operation Aand'responds to the slightest variations in pressure. The posi-v tion ofthe valve with reference toits seat is controlled by three forces, to wit, the liquid pressure on thediaphragm, the gas pressure on the oppositeside of the diaphragm, land the force exerted by theme'- chanical system comprising the lever 135, the weight lof the valve and connected parts, and the counterweight 144, the valve itself being substantially balanced. It follows that within limits the weight l144 can be` so adjusted that the valve will be in equilibrium when oft` its seat with any desired difference in pressure between the gas and the liquid. On any slight increase in the pressuren of the liquid beyond the valve the latter moves towards its seaty and conversely on any slight decrease yin the pressure beyond the valve the latter moves from its seat, but by reason of the delicacy ofthe mechanism these movements arev almost ininitesimalinV extent. They are suiiicient, however, to maintain the speed of iow of the carbonated liquid constant and thereby avoid the release of gas due to variations in the `speed of movement of the liquid bei'ng filled.

I claim:

1. In a machine for filling charged liquids into bottles, a filling tank, a carbonator, a connection between the carbonator and tank for supplying the latter with charged liquid, a pressure reducer in'said connection, means for continuously supplying the tank with counterpressure gas, and means controlling the pressure reducer from the pressure of said gas.

2. In a machine for filling charged liquids into bottles, a filling tank, a carbonator, a connection between the carbonator and tank `for supplying the latter with charge-dv liquid, a pressure reducer in said connection, means for continuously supplying the tank with counterpressure gas, a counterweighted valve in said pressure-reducer, a diaphragm connected to said valve, a pneumatic chamber to which said diaphragm is eX osed and a connection from the source o counterpressure gas to said chamber.

3.. In a machine for filling char ed liquids into bottles, a filling tank, a car onator, a connection between the carbonator and tank for supplying the latter with charged liquid, a pressure reducer in said connection, meansr for continuously supplying the tank with counterpressure gas, a pneumatic chamber, a diaphragm exposed to the pneumatic chamber and controlling the valve of the pressure-reducer and a normally closed valve opened when the machine stops for .reducing the pressure in said chamber.

4. In a machine forfilling charged liquids into bottles, a filling tank, a carbonator, a connection between the .carbonator and tank for supplying the latter with charged liquid, a pressure. reducer in said connection, means for` continuously supplying-the tank with counterpressure gas, a rotary support for the filling tank, means forrotating said support including aA motor, a

-clutch intermediate said motor and the rotating support, a pneumatic chamber, the

pressure wherein controls the clutch, a sec- -ond pneumatic chamber connected with the means for supplying counterpressure gas and the pressure wherein controls the pressure-reducer, a connection between the pneumatic chamber. of the clutchv and the pneumatic chamber controlling the pressure-reducer,` and m`eansv common td said l El (.1

connection between the carbonator and tank for supplying the latter with charged liquid, a pressure-reducer in said connection, means for continuously supplying the tank with counterpressure gas, a rotary support on which the tank is mounted, a motor and intermediate mechanism for rotating the support, a clutch in said mechanism, a pneumatic chamber controlling the clutch, a pneumatic chamber controlling the'pressure-reducing valve, a connection from the last said chamber to the means for supplying counterpressure gas, a valve for exhausting the last-mentioned pneumatic chamber, a diaphragm controlling said exhaust valve, a pneumatic chamber to which said diaphragm is exposed, a vconnection from the last said pneumatic chamber to the chamber controlling the c-lutch, `and a valve for reducing the pressure in the last said pneumatic chamber and in the pneumatic chambercontrollin the clutch 6. In a machine for filling charged liquids into bottles, a filling tank, a carbonator, a connection between the carbonator and tank for supplying the latter with charged liquid, a pressure-reducer in said connection, means for continuously supplying the tank with counterpressure gas, a rotating support for the tank, a motor and intermediate mechanism including a clutch for rotating the support, a pneumatic chamber 63 and diaphragm 60 controlling the clutch, piping for supplying said pneumatic chamber with gas pressure, a valve adapted to .exhaust the pressure inl said piping to stop the machine, the said pressure-reducer including a valve, a pneumatic chamber 147 and diaphragm 151 con trolling the Valve of the pressure-reducer, a connection 156 from said chamber to the means for supplying counterpressure, a valve mechanism 157 for exhausting chamber 147, a pneumatic chamber and diaphragm 159 for controlling said valve, and a connection 161 from the lastsaid chamber to the piping 64 whereby a reduction of pressure in sald piping system for stop.- ping the machine also permits the exhaust valve to open and relieve the pressure in chamber 147.

7. In a machine for filling charged liquids into bottles, a filling tank, a carbonator, a connection between the carbonator and tank for supplying the latter with charged liquid, a pressure reducer in said connection, means for continuously supplying the tank with conterpressure gas, a rotating support for the tank, a motor and intermediate mechanism including a clutch for Arotatin the support, a pneumatic chamber 63 an diaphragm 60 controlling the clutch, 'piping for supplying said pneumatic chamber with gas pressure, a valve adapted to exhaust the pressure in said piping to stop the machine, the pressure reducer including a valve, a pneumatic chamber 147 and diaphragm 151 controlling the valve of the pressure-reducer, a connection 156 from said chamber to the means for supplying counterpressure, said connection including a minute opening therefrom into chamber 147, a valve mechanism 157 for exhausting chamber 147, a pneumatic chamber and diaphragm 159 for controlling said valve and a connection 161 from the last said chamber to the piping 64 whereby a reduction of pressure in said piping system for stopping the machine also permits the exhaust Valve to open and relieve the pressure in chamber 147.

8. In a machine of the class described, a filling tank, a series of reciprocating lling nozzles connected to said tank, a rotaryv support on which the filling tank is mounted, means for rotating said support comprising a motor and intermediate mechanism, the latter including a clutch, a pneumatic chamber controlling the clutch, means for continuously supply gas to the pneumatic chamber, a valve and connections to the pneumatic chamber for exhausting the latter, an arm controlling said valve, said arm being so located and arranged with referenceto said tank and filling nozzles as to be struck by a nozzle out of normal position to open the valve and release the' air pressure in the chamber as the tank revolves.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a filling tank for filling nozzles thereon, a rotary support on which the tank is mounted, means for rotating the support comprising a motor, intermediate mechanism and a clutch in said mechanism, a pneumatic chamber controlling the clutch, means for continuously supplying said chamber with pressure gas, a yalve connected to said means for exhausting the pressure therein to open the clutch, a bottle feed comprising a channel, a Wall section in said channel pivotally mounted 'and yieldingly held in position so as to yield when the bottles become jammed in said feed, said valve being provided with a stem and so located that when the pivoted wall section is forced outward it engages said valve to openv the same by reducing the pressure in the means" supplying the pneumatic chamber of the clutch to stop the machine.

10. In a device of the class described, a filling tank, a rotary support on which the tank is mounted, means for rotating the tank comprising a motor and intermediate mechanism, the latter including a clutch, pneumatic means for normally maintaining the clutch members in engagement, a conduit for supplying said pneumatic means with gas under pressure, a pressure-reducer in said conduit, a by-pass around the pressure-reducer for supplying lsaid conduit diaphragm, a connection for exposing one' side of the diaphragm to the counter- 1u pressure, the other side of the diaphragm being exposed to the liquid, said pressure reducer adapted and arranged to maintain a constant amount of iiow of the liquid.

HoRAoE M. SMITH.

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