US1487952A - Can-filling machine - Google Patents

Description

March 25 2 J- J. KIRKBY CAN FILLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14 1920 WITNESEaES '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR AT ORN EY march 25 1924. 7 1,487,952

J. J. KIRKBY' C AN FILLING MACHINE 7gp INVENTORI March 25 1 924.

\ 1,487,952 J. J. KIRKBY CAN FILLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14 1920 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 March 25 1924. 1,487,952

J. .1. KIRKBY CAN FILLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14 1920 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 i V i w:

= HIM Patented Mar. 25, 1924i.

UNETEQ STATES JACQUES J. KIRKBY, OF CLYMER, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR TO EARL J. BELLINGER, 0F SHERMAN, NEW YORK.

can-FILLING MACHINE.

Application filed October 14, 1920. Serial No. 416,921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACQUES J. KIRKBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clymer, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Can-Filling Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to can filling machines.

The present machine is an improvement on the machine described and claimed in an application filed by me March 21, 1919, Serial No. 283,998. This machine, like that of my co-pending application, is particularly adapted to fill tin cans with sweetened condensed milk through a small aperture commonly'known as the vent hole of the can. The machine is not limited to use for filling cans with milk, for it may fill any portable receptacle with a fluid having approximately the consistency and viscosity of sweetened condensed milk.

In the machine of the earlier application,

' much of the driving mechanism was located above the milk reservoir. Since the mechanism had to be kept well lubricated, the oil and grease would occasionally drop down upon the cover of the milk reservoir, creating an unsanitary condition. It is an object of the present invention to construct a can filling machine so that all the driving parts are below the reservoir, or so far to one side of it that no grease or oil whatever can find its way into the reservoir.

Another object of this invention is to im prove upon the driving mechanism of the earlier construction, eliminating the driving cams and otherwise improving the machine so that the actual power required to drive the same is greatly reduced.

A further object of this invention is to provide a centering device for the empty cans which accurately presents them to the filling nipples.

A further object is to provide an improved form of nozzle which allows the escape of air as the can is being filled, whereby the milk will not crust around the can open ing.

A still further object is to provide means for positively stripping or pulling the filled cans off the filling nipples, thus preventing any catching or jamming of the parts with consequent delay in operation.

An additional object is to provide an improved mechanism for reciprocating the can carriage.

Another object is to provide means for guiding the cans after they have been filled, and spacing the same apart from each other as they are moved by the carriage onto a conveyer belt.

A further object is to provide means for adjusting the extent of movement or stroke of the pistons so that exactly the same quantity of milk is forced out of each cylinder into the can below.

Another object is to provide means for preventing choking or too rapid a feed of the, empty cans out of the can filling tube.

Another object is to provide an improved mechanism for raising and lowering the cans before and after the feeding operation.

The general objects are to provide a machine which is simple in construction, economical to build and operate, which is absolutely sanitary, and is very rapid in its operation. Other objects will appear from the following specification.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing in the drawing, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, looking from the right hand end of the machine of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevation with parts in vertical cross section, looking from the same side of the machine as Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view, parts broken away and in section, showing the relative location of the mechanism.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail elevations showing two positions of the means for reciprocating the can carriage.

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross sectional View carries a worm 25.

through the cylinder, piston and reservoir, showing a portion of the can carriage in elevation.

Fig. 8 is a vertical cross section of the improved nozzle.

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a detail cross sectional view of one ofthe parts of the nozzle.

Figs. 11 and 12 are perspective views of the two cam pieces employed on the disk of Figs. 5 and 6.

Fig. 13 isa detail view showing the mechanism for elevating and lowering the cans.

Fig. 14: is a plan view showing the top flange of the I-beam which supports the cans during the filling operation.

Fig. 14 is an elevation showing the I-beam of Fig. 14 with the knock-off fir:- tures secured in position.

Fig. 15 is a plan view showing several of the guides and spacers for the cans.

Fig. 15 is an enlarged vertical section illustrating the construction of the spacer member.

Fig. 16 is a top plan view of the can cen-v tering device.

Fig. 16 is a vertical cross sectional view on the line 16 -16 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 16 is a bottom plan view of the centering device.

Fig. 17 is an elevation partly in vertical section showing a modified and preferred mechanism for raising and lowering the cans to and from the filling nozzles.

Fig. 18 is a similar view but looking in a direction at right angles.

Fig. 19 is a detail horizontal sect-ion of part of the construction shown in Figures 17 and 18.

Fig. 20 shows a modified mounting of the plate which prevents choking or too rapid feed of the empty cans from the lower end of the can feeding tube.

The present machine has its working parts supported by aframe .20 comprising a number of angle bars bolted or riveted together. This frame includes upright members and horizontal members, the whole being substantially rectangular. At the rear of the frame, as seen in Fig. 2, a platform 21 is provided. An upright shaft 22 is suitably journaled in the frame of the machine substantially midway the shafts ends and at its upper end a drive pulley 23 is fixed. Near the lower end, the shaft 22 That portion of the shaft extending within the main frame of the machine is enclosed by a casing 24, so that no grease from the bearings of the shaft can fall anywhere near the milk reservoir or can. The worm 25 meshes with a worm gear 26, which, in turn, is secured upon the main shaft 27 extending horizontally of the machine. Each end of shaft 27 together so as to form effectively one beam.

The pair of beams 31 will hereafter be referred to as the cross-head of the machlne,

since it is by means of the reciprocation of these united channel beams that the pistons are reciprocatcd in their cylinders. A guide rod 33 is mounted in upright position at each end of the main frame of the machine and ispassed through a plurality of guide blocks 32 mounted between the channel beams 31. From the foregoing description, it should be clear that rotation of the drive shaft 22 will cause reciprocation of the cross-head up and down on the rods 33.

The cross head carries an adjusting sleeve holder 34 by which the adjusting sleeves 35 are received. A piston rod 36 is connected with the lower end of each adjusting sleeve 35 by means of a shear pin 35 which will break in case anything goes wrong with the feeding of the milk through-the nozzles and will thus prevent bursting of the cylinders. The lower end of the piston rod 36 carries a piston (shown in detail in Fig. 7) which enters a cylinder 37 having a plurality of perforations 38 in its side walls arranged in circular series. There are four to six hundred perforations in the cylinder, each of which is smaller than the passageway of the nipple. If the nipple has a passageway of 3/32 these perforations may each have a diameter of 5/64.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings is capable of filling thirty cans with each reciprocation of the cross head. In such case, there will be thirty pistons reciprocating in thirty cylinders similar to cylinder 37 All of said cylinders'are enclosed within a reservoir comprising a frame4-0 and a reservoir proper 39. It will be understood that for simplicity of description a single cylinder filling nozzle and can is hereafter referred to. Instead of thirty cans being filled in one operation, machines may be built filling a larger or smaller number of cans.

The reservoir has a feed pipe 41 eXtend- I ing therein through which the fresh sup-' is connected, so that from time to time after the machine has been stopped, the reservoir may be cleaned and the liquid passed out through said pipe. The cylinder 37 below the perforated section thereof is screw threaded, as indicated at (Fig. 3), and passes through the bottom of the reservoir 39. A nut 46 surrounds the screwthreaded section 45 of the cylinder and a gasket 47 is interposed between the nut 46 and the bottom of the reservoir so that a fluid-tight connection is made. A cylinder holder member 48 has screw threads for engagement with the screw threads 45 and is outside of the reservoir 39. Bolts 49 secure the holder member 48 to the top flanges of a pair of channel bars 50. The web of each channel bar 50 is strengthened by a plate 51. The cylinder 37 has a length so as to continue below the bottom of the channel bars 50 and at the lower end is screw threaded as indicated at 52 (Fig. 7). A bottom locking nut 53 engages with threads 52 and also bears against the lower flanges of bars '50. Sockets 54 are provided on the lower edge of nut 53 to render easy the removal of said nut when desired. From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the cylinders 37 are very strongly braced and are absolutely prevented from getting out of alinement in spite of the tremendous pressure to which they are subjected.

A feeding tube 55 for empty cans is supported in an inclined position to the rear of the reservoir, being passed through channel beams 56 and 57, as seen in Fig. 3. The lower end of the tube 55 is secured to a bracket 58, fast to the bottom flange of the adjacent beam 50. Empty cans are delivered to the upper end of each tube 55 with their vent holes uppermost, and such cans are fed one by one from the lower end of each tube to the adjacent nozzle structure, as will be described.

Referring to Fig. 7, it is there seen that the piston rod 36 has a ball-headed stud 59 secured thereto at the lower end, the ball of said stud being held by a cap 60 to a socket member 61. The socket member 61 has an extension which carries the piston 62, lock nuts 64 holding the piston on the extension. Piston rings 63 are provided.

The lower end of cylinder 37 is internally screw threaded for the reception of a cylinder closure member 65. This member holds the improved nozzle structure which forms a part of the present invention (see Figs. 8 and 9). Screw threads 66 are provided on the upper part of the cylinder.

closure, while the lower part 67 of said closure has sockets 68 for the reception of a wrench whereby the closure may be turned on or off the cylinder end. The upper part of the closure member is chamfered as indicated at 69, and a screw-threaded bore 7 0 extends axially of the closure. The bottom part of the closure has an annular shoulder 71.

The tubular nozzle member 72 has its lower end formed into a substantially rectangular head with rounded corners, as seen in Fig. 9, and has a reduced screwthreaded section 74 for engagement with the threads 70. The head of this nozzle member fits against the shoulder 71 when it is screwed into place. Teeth 73 project from the lower face of the head 72 and are adapted to space the top of the can from said head so that air escaping from the can during the filling operation may pass out freely.

The nozzle member 72 has an axial screwthreaded bore comprising thesections 75 and 80, the section 75 having a somewhat larger diameter than the section 80. lVithin the bore 75 a valve seat member 76 is removably secured. This valve seat member has a port 77 centrally thereof, which portis closed by a ball valve 78. The lower part of the valve seat member is suitably hollowed out to provide a chamber in which the ball valve may move. A vent member 79, shown separately in Fig. 10, is held within the screw-threaded bore 80 and has a central passageway 81. Transverse ports are provided above the screw threaded portion of the vent member 79. The upper end of said vent member has a socket 83 and a plurality of slots 84 is arranged circumferentially of the upper end of the vent member. Said upper end is chamfered'as shown and the socket 83 is of sutficient diameter to receive a portion ofthe ball valve 78. The ball valve rests by gravity on the upper end of the vent member, and when so resting, milk may be forced out of the cylinder through the bore 70, the port 77, past the ball valve and through the slots 84 and ports 85, down into the passageway 81. A nipple 86 is clamped between the vent member 79 and the head 7 2, and being removably held, is replaceable when worn out.

A centering device for the cans, shown in Figs. 16, 16 and 16", is clamped upon the cylinder closure 65, as shown in Fig. 7. This centering device may be described as being generally ring-like in form and includes an annular flange 87, a plate 88, and a plurality of arcuate prongs 89, preferably four in number. Such prongs are beveled as indicated at 90, the bevel being on the inside so that the cans are guided thereby. The plate 88 is of irregular form, having one side curved as indicated at 91, the arc of said curve being the same as the arc of the prongs 89. Two other faces of the plate are plane, as indicated at 92, while the fourth face93 likewise straight but is 'which the centering device is clamped in surrounding relation to the member 65.

The main shaft 27 carries a pair of sprocket wheels 95, (see Fig. 1) each driving a chain 96 meshing with a smaller sprocket wheel 97 on a countershaft 98. Each end of the shaft 98 carries a beveled gear 99 meshing with a similar gear 100. A pair of brackets 1041 is provided on each end of the machine for supporting a shaft 101 which is driven by the beveled gear 100. A pulley 102 is keyed on each shaft 101 (see Figs. 1 and 2). A conveyer belt 103 passes over each pulley 102, and near the center of the machine a belt tightening pulley 105 is provided which should be adjustable in the well-known manner so as to take up slack in the belt. 'lhefunction of the belt 103 is to carry the filled cans out of the machine.

The means for moving the cans from the tubes to the proper position ben th the nozzles will now be described (see Figs. at, 5, 6, 11 and 12). Upon the main shaft 27 a. disk 106 is made fast. This dish carries a pair of cam pieces 109 and 111 on its opposite faces. It therefore may be called a cam disk. A bifurcated arm 107 straddles the cam disk 100 and each furcation has an elongated slot 108 straddling the shaft 27. The cam piece 109 projects outwardly from the face of the disk 100 to which its is cured, and during the rotation of said dish, this cam piece is brought into eng gement with a roller 110 provided on the extremity ofone of the furcations. The action of the engagement of the cam piece with this roller will beto move the arm 107 downwardly, as shown in Fig. 6, the arm being guided in such movement by its straddling the shaft 27. The other cam piece 111 projects from the opposite face of the disk and engages with a roller 110 provided on the adjacent furcation. The roller 110. as indicated, is atthe upper end of the corre sponding slot 108. while the roller 1'10 at the lower end of the respective slot. The effect of the engagement of cum piece 111 with the roller 110 is illustrated i'n Fig. 5, where it is seen that the arm 107 is moved upwardly.

The upper end of arm 107 is pivotally connected to a crank arm 112, in turn secured to a countershaft 113. Upon the countershaft 113 a plurality of segmental gears 114 is secured, such gears having teeth 115 meshing with racks 110. By the mechanism which has just been described,

it will be clear that rotation of the main shaft 27 efiects reciprocation of the rack 116. Such racks are secured to a horizonside thereof. The carriage comprises :1-

lower plate 117 and an upper plate 118, these two plates being duplicates but spaced from have wheels 120 mounted thereon, which wheels run-over a rail 121 fixed upon the frame. See Fig. Each rail 121 is cut away near its inner end as indicated at 125 to permit raising of the canslifting beam and is supported by a channel member 122. Snub posts 123 are provided at convenient points upon the upper plate of the carriage, such snub posts having horizontal bores for receiving guide rods 12-l-, which are in turn made fast to the main frame 20. Thus the carriage as it reciprocates over the rails 121 is guided and in part supported. The cans moving downwardly through the tubes 55 rest upon the upper plate of the carriage until it has moved to a position to one side of the mouth of the tube. Then the lower most can from each tube falls below and is received within the adjacent slot 119, where- 7 by it will be moved forward by the carriage in astraight line. A spring or gravity actuated plate 130' is supported at the lower end of each tube 55 and is lifted upwardly by the moving of the carriage under the nozzles and swings downwardly into a. substantially vertical position when the carriage moves in opposite direction. This platel prevents the cans from choking at the mouth of the delivery tubes 55 and positively directs each can into the niche or seat provided by the alined slots 119. As shown in Fig; 20, a plate 160 may be provided similar to plate 130 but pivoted upon the channel beam 50 instead of upon the can feeding tube 55.

Extending longitudinally of the machine is a channel bar 126 the upper face of which carries a plurality of .can spacers and guiding members 128. As seen in Figs. and 15*, these spacers taper slightly at each end as indicated at 129 and are undercut, as shown at 129. This undercutting is for the purpose of accommodating the head orcrimp at the bottom of each can. Another ehannelbar 127 provides a support for the belt 103 and extends adjacent the channel bar 126 but slightly below the latter, so that the top of the belt is about on a level with the upper face of channel .bar 126. A table is provided by a relatively wide channel bar 1417, such table being on a level with the top of belt 103. As seen in Fig. 2, one of the cross angle bars forming a part of the main frame is cut away as indicated at .104, so that the cans carried by the 0011- veyer belt 103 may pass out of one end of the machine.

The means for lifting the empty cans to the filling nozzles, holding them during the filling operation, and moving them from the nozzles after they have been filled will now be described. The main shaft 27 carries a cam disk 131 (see Fig. 13). This cam disk has a slot cut therein, said slot including a radiallyextenc'ling wall 132, an arcuate wall 133 conce ntric to the shaft 27, and a wall 134 at right angles to the wall 132 and spaced from the latter by the arcuate wall 133. An arm 135 has a bent section 136 forming an acute angle with the main part of said arm and bifurcated at its extremity and supports a cam roller 137. This roller runs over the periphery of the cam disk 131 and enters the slot of the cam disk to cause oscillation of the arm 135 during each revolution of the cam disk. The other end of arm 135 is secured upon a countershaft 138, which, in turn, as seen in Fig. 4, has secured to it, at intervals, lifting arms 139. An I-beam 140 has its lower flange engaged by these lifting arms and this beam is guided so that oscillation of arm 135 causes vertical reciprocation of said beam.

As seen in Figs. 14 and 14, the I-beam 140 is provided with a plurality of bores 143 extending from its upper flange 141 part way into the web. The axes of the bores 142 are slightly offset from the longitudinal center of the beam140, as seen in Fig. 14. The I-beam 140, which may be termed a can-lifting beam, is also provided with a plurality of threaded bores 143 which are likewise offset but on the opposite side of the beam. Into each screw-threaded bore a T-shaped fixture hereinafter termed the knock-off fixture is secured. Each knockoff fixture 145 has its upper end provided with a pair of arms146 extending at. right angles to the shank'of the fixture in opposite directions. The spacing of these fixtures is such that a can is receivable between adjacent pairs of the fixtures with the arms 146 overlying the top of thecan. Because of the fact that the bores 143 are oil'- set, the knock-off fixtures are likewise oflset with respect to the longitudinal center of the beam and they are spaced closer together than a distance equal to the diameter of the cans so that their arms 146 nearly meet. The ofiset bores 142 are pro vided so that in case the operator who feeds empty cans into the tubes 55 fails to supply any one of these tubes, in which event upon the downward stroke of the corresponding piston, the milk would be forced out of the cylinder, the milk will pass out through the corresponding bore 142 to a catch pan below. The knock-off fixtures V. positively strip the cans off the nipples and prevent any jamming and consequent stopping of operations.

The milk reservoir has a cover 148 (see Figs. 1 and 2), with handles 149 at con venient' intervals. This cover keeps all dust and all foreign matter out of the milk to be placed in the cans. A sight glass 150, seen in Fig. 1, is provided at the front of the machine so that the operator can determine the level of the milk in the reservoir.

The machine is entirely automatic. The empty cans descend through the tubes 55; are prevented from overturning by the plate 130; are engaged by the reciprocating carriage, then moved to the proper position upon the top flange of beam 140; are lifted by said beam; are centered by the pronged centering device; are filled by a single stroke of the cross head; are positively stripped from the nipples by the knock-off fixture; are moved by the next reciprocation of the carriage onto beam 126 where they are maintained in spaced relation by the spacer bars 128; and finally are pushed onto the belt 103 by the succeeding row of cans and are carried out of the machine for the sealing operation.

The cylinder perforations 38 strain the milk and prevent foreign matter from being forced into the cans along with the milk; this is a feature which is described and claimed in my co-pending application referred to. The faces 92 of the can centering devices abut each other and positivelyprevent any turning of each device relative to the nozzle on which it is mounted. The set screws 94 prevent the centering devices from falling off while permitting ready detaching. The face 93 is tangent to the flange 87 to make room for the lifting of plates 130 or 160 (Figs. 7 and 20).

The construction of Figs. 17, 18 and 19 is somewhat of an improvement upon the can lifting means shown in the other figures of the drawing, simpler and more direct, and for this reason it may be regarded as my preferred construction. The counter-shaft 138 with the lift arms 139 are done away with and instead a direct acting mechanism of extreme simplicity but of great strength is. employed. In Fig. 17, the main shaft 27 is shownas provided with a cam 153 having a slot 154 extending inwardly from its periphery. A block 152 is secured to the main frame of the machine and a pair of thrust columns 151 extend vertically from the block 152 and parallel to each other. Between the thrust columns 151 a bracket 155 issecured to theframe; and a plunger 156. is slidable in the bracket. (Figs. 18 and 19). The plunger 156 has a key-way 159 adapted to receive a key provided on the bracket, whereby the plunger will not turn about its longitudinal axis. Thelower end ofthe plunger has a roller 158 designed to ride upon the periphery of the cam 153 and into and out of its slot 15%. An adjusting screw 157 is carried on the upper end of plunger 156; and this adjusting screw has an enlarged flat-topped head adapted to engage with the lower edge of the can lifting I-beam 140; Thus driving of the main shaft 27 efiects the desired reciprocation of the can lifting beam and at the same time the construction isconsiderably simplified.

lVhat is claimed is 1. In a can filling machine, a plurality of cylinders, a piston reciprocable in each cylinder, a closure for the lower end ofeach cylinder, a nozzle mounted in eachclosure, a can centering device mounted upon each closure, means to prevent each can centering device from dropping offthe closure, each can centering device being so shaped as to cooperate with'the devices on either side thereof to prevent turning of the same, each centering device having a plurality of prongs which are curved to engage the side walls of the cans and beveled to center the cans 2. In a can filling machine, a plurality of centering devices each comprising a plate, an annular flange provided 011 said plate, means mounted on the flange whereby the centering device may be held upon a nozzle structure in surrounding relation thereto,

transversely curved prongs depending from the side of the plate opposite to that from which the flange extends, said plate having a central opening or bore for the reception of the nozzle structure upon which the device is mounted, the side faces of said plate being straight and in contact so that no one of these devices may be turned relative to the nozzle structure upon which it is mounted.

3. In a can filling machine, a can support, means for reciprocating said support in a vertical direction, nozzles toward and from which the cans are moved, a nipple forming a part of each nozzle, and means mounted on said support for positively. stripping the cans off said nipples after the cans are full and when the support is lowered, said means comprising fixtures of T shape including a straight upright shank and a pair of arms each lying in the same line but extending in opposite directions at the upper extremity of said shank.

4. In a can filling machine, a can support, a nozzle toward and from which the cans are moved, a nipple forming a part of each nozzle, and means mounted on said support for positively stripping the cans off said nipples after the cans are full and when the support is lowered, said means comprising fixtures of T shape each including a straight upright shank and a pair of arms each lying in the same line but extending in opposite directions at the upper extremity of said shank, the extreminozzle structure having a pair of opposed valve seats, a valve movable in" e space between said seat-s and closing said cylinder when in raised position, and a mpple projecting from the lower end of the nozzle structure and removable'therefrom. J

6. In a can filling machine, a nozzle structure including a vent member, said vent member being removably mounted within the nozzle structure and having a central longitudinal bore, transversely extending ports provided near the upper end of said vent member, a cylindrical socket provided at the upper end of said member, and a plurality of slots provided in the side wall of said socket, said socket being adapted to partially receive a ball valve.

7. In a can filling machine, means for feeding a supply of empty cans to the machine. and means for moving said cans transversely of the machine and in a sub stantially horizontal path, said means comprising a reciprocating carriage, said carriage including spaced upper and lower plates, each plate having a niche for seating a can, a snub post extending above the top plate, and a horizontal guide rod passing through the snub post for partially supporting as well as ing its movements. V

8. In a can filling machine, a reciprocatory carriage, means for actuating said carriage including a rack mounted on the bottom of the carriage, a segmental gear meshing with said rack, a shaft to which said gear is fixed, a crank'arm connected to said shaft. a bifurcated arm pivotally at tached to'the outer end of thecrank arm, a main drive shaft, a cam disk mounted on said main shaft, said bifurcated arm straddling said cam disk, the cam disk effecting movement of the bifurcated arm to cause oscillation of the-shaft on which thesegmental disk is mounted.

9. In a can filling machine, a reciprocatory carriage, means for actuating said carriage including a rack mounted on the bottom of the carriage, a segmental gear meshing with said rack, a shaft to which said gear is fixed a crank arm connected to said shaft, a bifurcated arm pivotally attached to the outer end of the crank arm,.

a main drive shaft, a cam disk mounted on said mam shaft, said 7 bifurcated arm straddling said cam disk, each furca-tion of guiding the carriage dur the arm having a slot receiving the driving shaft, a roller on the lower extremity of the slot of one furcation, a similar roller at the upper extremity of the slot of the other furcation, cam means on the corresponding faces of the cam disk for engaging with said rollers, the cam disk effecting movement of the bifurcated arm and to cause oscillation of the shaft on which the segmental disk is mounted.

10. In a can filling machine, means for raising and lowering the cans to move the same toward and from the filling means, said raising and lowering means including a can support, said can support comprising a flanged beam, the upper flange having a plurality of bores therein extending into the web of the beam and slightly offset relative to the beam.

11. In a can filling machine, means for raising and lowering the cans to move the same toward and from th filling means, said raising and lowering meansincluding a can support, said can support comprisng a flanged beam, the upper flange having a plurality of bores therein extending into the web of the beam and slightly offset relative tothe beam, and a second series of bores interposed between the first-mentioned bores, said second bores being screw threaded and relatively small in diameter, and fixtures mounted in the screw-threaded bores and upstanding from the top flange of the beam for positively forcing the cans downwardly at the same time the beam is lowered.

12. In a can filling machine, means for raising and lowering the cans before and after the filling operation comprising a beam, an arm engageable with the .under side of said beam, a shaft upon which said arm is mounted, the upper side of said beam supporting the cans, and means for oscillating said shaft including an arm mounted on the shaft, said arm having a bent portion at its outer end, a roller at the extremity of the bent portion, said bent portion making an acute angle with the main part of said arm, a main driv shaft, a disk secured upon said shaft to rotate therewith, a slot in said disk having a radially extending wall, an arcuate wall concentric with the drive shaft, and a wall at right angles to the radial wall, the roller on said arm riding over the periphery of the disk and into and out of said slot.

13. In a can filling machine, means for feeding empty cans into a machine, including a reciprocatory can pushing carriage, and a tube down which the cans may slide into a position to be moved by said carriage, a plate mounted to swing at the lower end of the tube and normally seeking a vertical position, whereby cans emerging from the tube are prevented by the plate from overturning and whereby the carriage may move th cans while upright into filling position.

14. In a can filling machine, means for feeding empty cans to the machine, means for preventing overturning of the cans as they issue from the feeding means, means for pushing the upright cans transversely of the machine, means for lifting the cans in juxtaposition to the filling means, means for forcing the cans downwardly after the filling operation, means for guiding and spacing the cans apart after they have been filled, and means for conveying the filled cans out of the machine.

15. In a can filling machine, means for raising and lowering the cans to move the same toward and from the filling means, said raising and lowering means including a can support, said can support comprising a flanged beam, the upper flange having a plurality of bores therein being screw threaded and relatively small in diameter and offset relative to the beam web, and fixtures mounted in the screw-threaded bores and upstanding from the top flange of the beam for positively forcing the cans downwardly at the same time the beam is lowered, said fixtures being offset whereby when the cans are raised the fixtures do not interfere with th can filling operation.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

JACQUES J. KIRKBY.

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