US1770380A - Apparatus for vacuumizing and gassing cans - Google Patents

Description

July 15, 1930. I J. M. YOUNG 1,770,330

I APPARATUS FOR VACUUMIZING AND GASSING CANS Filed Dec. 51, 1924 2 sheets'sheet 1 W INVENTOR. I BY WI WA TTORNE K3 July 15, 1930. J. M. YOUNG 1,770,380

AFPARATUS FOR VACUUMIZING AND GASSING CANS Filed Dec. 31, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi'gIZ 2;

INVENTOR. 7;; I By v r W A TTORNE Y5 Patented 1 5, 1930 I UNITED STATES PATENT mm) JOHN mroune, or naooxmm, new Yoax, assreuoa mo amnarcan can comrm,

' or new YORK, 11. Y., .a coaronurou on NEW master APPARATUS FOR VAGUUMIZING AND GA SSING CANS Application filed December 81, 1924. Serial Nof759,192.

This invention relates to apparatus for removing air from filled containers and substituting therefor an inert preservmg gas.

'Amethodcommonly employed for vacuumizing and gassingfood containers consists in the introduction of the preserving gas into the vacuumized space within the container.

The apparatus used for this purpose in the past has depended u on the pressure of the its surrounding atmosp ere acting upon the vacuum bell after a rarefied air condition has been created in the chamber to hold said bell firmly upon its seatand to establish a seal be-.

. tween the outside atmosphere and the space within the chamber. As the gas is introduced into the chamber, however, the difference in pressure'is lessened, so that the seal becomes less effective and may. be broken if no --other sealin means than the outside atmos- D pheric pressure be employed.-

' Itisan important object of my invention, therefore, to provide, for the purpose stated, sim le and efiicient mechanical means for hol ing the vacuum bell down upon its seat,

thereby rendering it unnecessary to depend upon atmospheric pressure solely to maintain a proper seal between themterior and'ex terior of the bell chamber. Another object'of the invention is the provision of an easily controllable and quickly operable device, of improved construction,

for quickly and efliciently performing the operations involvedin the process described.

7 Numerous other objects and advanta es of the invention will be understood fromthe ollowing description,

which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereo e 1 J Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a front-to-back vertical sectional view thereof, certain of the parts being shown in section and acontainer being positioned apparent as it is etter atable 11, supported upon legs 12 arising from a base 13,'said table 11 being formed to support the container 'to be gassed and the v various parts of the mechanism employed in the process. A countersunk seat 14 is provided in the top of the table for the container 15, which may-be positioned by hand, or by any suitable feeding mechanism, it being understood that said containerhas been previously filled and, in accordance with usual practice,has one and open, the cover or upper end being subsequently applied. Inasmuch as the gas is heavier than the atmosphere, it will not be lost'within the period'of time necessary to transfer and close the can. Surrounding the seat 14 is a'ring, or washer, 16', which is positioned in an annular groove 17 and is formed of rubber, or likere- 76 silient material, the upper surface of said ring beingflush with, the top of the table. 'A bell 18 is provided to close down over the container and provide an enclosed space from whichthe air .may be withdrawn and into so which the gas may be introduced in accord-, ance withthe process for Which.the appa--.

. ratus .of my iigvention is provided. Said bell has a 'rearw'ar extension 19, which is hinged by means of a pin 21 to spaced upright lugs 22, formed upon the rear edge'of the table 11. A'counterweight 23 is secured to the rear of the extension ,19 by means of a threaded rod 24 and is adapted to facilitate movement of the bell 18 about the pivot pin 21. A gauge 25 is provided upon the top of the bell or the p rpose of indicating the pres-, sure within the chamber.

An operating handle 26 is ivoted at 27 to outstanding lugs 28 upon the ront of the bell and is providedwith a'downwardl'y extending hook 29, adapted to engage a catch 31 extending upwardly above the table 11'at the front thereof. Said catch is slidably mountedin an opening 32 in the table and has a rod por- 00 the position shown in Fig. 2, communication erator may lower the bell 18 by means of the handle 26, said bell having a channel 41 formed in the bottom edge thereof and said edge being adapted to tightly engage and slightly imbed itself in the annular gasket 16. As the handle is moved downwardly, the hook 29 thereon is caused to engage the catch 31, which is slightly lifted against the tension of the spring 37, thus holding the bell down tightly against its seat and maintaining a proper seal at all times between the interior and exterior thereof. A spring 42 has its opposite ends disposed in recesses 43 and 44 provided, respectively, in an upwardly extendin lug 45 on the handle and the front of the ell.

After the bell is closed down and locked in.

may be established between the interior of said bell and a vacuum source, such as a vacuum pump, or tank, which has not been shown in the drawings. This is accomplished by manipulation of a. control lever or handle 46, which is pivoted upon a stud 47 depending from the lower surface of the table 11. Said lever is provided with a raised boss 48, adapted to engage a stem 49 of a valve 51, which is connected, by means of an elbow 52 with a pipe 53 leading to the vacuum source, the opposite side of said valve communicating through a tubular extension 54 and an opening 55in the table with theinterior of said bell. The tubular extension 54 is threaded into the under side of the table and the valve thus supported.

vAfter sufficient-air has been exhausted, as

indicated by the gauge, 25, the lever'46' is turned upon its pivot to permit the valve, which maybe of well known self-closing construction, to close and a head 56 upon an extension 57 ofsaid lever is brought into" contact with a stem 58 of a valve 59 which controls "the admission of gas delivered through a pipe 61 from any suitable source,

said valve 59 being similar in construction to thevalve 51 and havin a corresponding tubular extension 62 threa ed into the under side of the table. A tube 63 isthreaded into an, opening 64 in the table at this side and extends upwardly to adjacent the top of the can, so that the ga s may be delivered above the open mouth ofthe container and, due to its tendency to settle, will thoroughly fill the vacuumized space within said container. This gas may beany suitable inert preserving as, such, for example, as carbon dioxid. fter a suflicient amount of gas has been admitted, the lever 46 may be turned to neutral position, which releases the stem 58 of the valve 59, permitting said valve to automatically close, the lever at this time being in contact with both valve stems, but not depressing them sufiiciently to establish communication either with the source of vacuum or the gas supply. By means of the described apparatus, I am enabled to exhaust the air from a filled container and substitute therefor a preserving gas very rapidly andwith semi-automatic action, the device being at all times under accurate control of the operator and being adapted for long continued, efficient per-,

formance under ordinary conditions of use.

It is thought that the invention and man'y of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and *arrangement of the parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, or

sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for vacuumizing and gassing filled cans, comprising a support for the can,

an enclosing member rotating around a pivotal point and movable down over said can,

a seat uponwhich said member is adapted to rest to seal the interior thereof against the outside atmosphere, interengageable parts associated respectively with said member and said seat and adapted to positively hold the same in sealing engagement said parts being engageable in the normal closing action of said member and a spring placing said enclosing member under spring tension, and a vacuum pipe for withdrawing the air and means for introducing the gas into the can.

2. Apparatus for vacuumizing and gas- 3' ing air from the can, means including a valve" for introducing gas into said can, and a single control for both said valves, said control being adapted to hold one valve closed when the other is'open and having a neutral position with both valves closed.

3. Apparatus for vacuumizing and gassing filled containers, comprising a table, .a vacuum bell movable down over a can supported on "said table to enclose the can and lbs 1,77o,sso

sgace. about the can, a. pipe for-withdrawing a r from the bottom of said space, and a. pipe extending up from the table and within the bell for introducing gas at a substantial hei ht in the space ad acent the open upper en of the can.

JOHN M. YOUNG.

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