US1804445A - Filling device - Google Patents

Description

A. STEVENS FILLING DEVICE May 12, 1931.

Filed Oct. 20, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 12, 1931. A. STEVENS FILLING DEVICE Filed Oct. 20, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 12, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR STEVENS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TC THE VOL-U-METER CO., INC.,

OF BUFFALO, NEW" YER-K, A CORPGRATIOI? C'F EE'EW' YGRK FILLING DEVICE Application filed flctooer 20, 1927. Serial No. 227,565. I

My invention relates in general to a filling machine for liquids, and particularly to a device for filling cans, bottles, drums, half barrels, carboys, etc.

It is well known to those skilled in the art that when filling large containersof fifty or one hundred gallon capacity, it has been the practice in order to avoid short weight to fill the containers beyond the predetermined weight. Such practice, meaning in most cases only ounces of overweight, results in great loss during a years output. Another great loss comes by reason of overflow on account of careless labor, sticky valves, or inaccurate filling devices.

It has been the principal object of my invention to provide a filling device whereby containers of any size may be accurately filled with the exact weight of material desired.

Another object has been to provide a device inwhich it shall be unnecessary to reduce the flow when the container is about full, but one which accurately cuts oi'f the supply of fluid from a full flow. My device, therefore,

eliminates all unnecessary means for determining about how full the container is before the predetermined weight has been reached at which time it has been customary and common practice to reduce the flow.

Moreover, my device is provided with electrically operated gravity tripping means with a normally closed electric circuit which does not affect the accuracy of the scale with which the device is used.

The above objects and advantages have been accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 shows my device attached to a scale with a drum in position'upon the scale platform. 7

Fig. 2 is an enlarged. longitudinal, tional view taken through the valve part of U my device.

contact making means of my device.

munication with the horizontal, chamber 11.

A vertical chamber 15 is formed in the body which connects with the rear end of the horizontal chamber 11. The bottom end of the vertical chamber terminates in a flange 1b which is'preferably interiorly screw-threaded and to which is secured the spout 17. The spout has a reduced portion which thus forms a shoulder 21. Resting upon the shoulder 21 is the valve plug 22, having preferably an interposed washer 23. The valve plug is provided with a downwardly extending threaded boss 24 to which is screw-threaded the valve plug guide 25. The lower portion of the guide passes through a guide bearing 26 formed. in the reduced portion 20 of the spout.

Passing longitudinally through the vertical chamber 15 and rotatably supported within the body part is a main shaft 30 at the outer end of which is provided an operating handle 31. The shaft passes through a suit able stufling box 32 having a packing nut 33.

The shaft is provided with an annular groove 34: with which a ball set screw 35 is engageable, whereby end motion of the shaft is pre vented. A portion of the shaft 30 lying within the chamber 15 is preferably square in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 2, and mounted upon this portion of the shaft is a shaft lever 36. This lever extends laterally and its outer end is connected to the valve plug 22 by means of a link 37, whereby the valve plug may be raised to its open position by means of the handle 31;

A trigger lO is pivotally carried by an outwardly extending arm 41 by means of a trigger pin 42. The trigger is provided with a weighted portion 43 and an outwardly extending arm 44:. The operating handle 31 is provided with a segment 45 on the under side of which are formed two notches 46 and 47. When the operating arm is moved so as to open the valve of the device, thereby rais ing the valve plug 22, the notches of the seg ment will engage with the arm 44 of the trigger and serve to hold the valve plug in its elevated position. When the operating arm is moved so that the end. 44 of the trigger engages the notch 47, a stop lug 48 formed on the shaft lever 36 will engage with the in side wall of the body of the device and limit the upward movement of the valve plug (see Fig. 4).

'A hammer 50 is pivotally attached to the body and the head 51 thereof is designed to engage with the arm 44 of the trigger, as shown in Fig. 2, thus depressing the arm 44 and releasing its engagement with the notch of the operating handle. The weighted portion 43 of the trigger is provided at its rear side with a notch 52 which forms a shoulder 53. This shoulder engages with a stop pin 54 which'limits the upward movement of the weighted portion of the trigger. Carried adjacent the upper position of the hammer is an electromagnetic coil 55 having a core 56. The hammer 5O is'provided with an ar-.

mature 57 which is designed to engage the core 56 and to be held in its vertical position by the magnetism of the core. As shown in Fig. 3, the pivotal connection of theha-mmer and the core of the electromagnet are so arranged that the hammer can not be moved to a vertical dead center but will always be in such a position that when released by the electromagnet it will fall by gravity. The electromagnet is preferably attached to an out- Wardly extending lug 58 which carriesbinding posts 59 and 60 connected to the winding of the coil 55. A guard 61 is provided for the coil 55. r

The contact making means of my device, which is shown in Fig. '5, comprises a cut-oil 65 having preferably an annular body portion'66. The body is formed with. a downwardly extending threaded lug 67 by which the device is supported. This lug is de signed to pass through an arm 68 preferably made a part of the downwardly extending scale arm 69. If desired, instead of using a specially constructed scale arm 69, it is obvious that the cut-off may be supported underneath the .scale'beam 70 by any other suitable means. Nuts 71 are disposed on the lug 67 and one arranged at each side of the arm 68, whereby the vertical position of the cut-off may be accurately adjusted. A cover 72 is suitably secured to the top of the body 66 and this carries the switch mechanism of the cut-off. This mechanism comprises a body 7 3 formed of insulating'material and carrying acontact spring 74 and a contact spring 75. The springs are superimposed as shown in Fig. 3, and are pressed into engage- 1,so4,445 V .ment with each other by means of a contact button 76. The button has a downwardly extending stem 77 which passes through an aperture formed in the cover 7 2 and the body 73. The stem is provided with a point 78 of insulating material and contacts with the contact spring 74. The contact spring 74 is connected with a binding post 79 carried by the body 66, and the contact spring is connected with a binding post 80 similarly carried by the body 66.

My device may be used with any style of scale, and for convenience in Fig. 1 I have shown it employed with a scale of the platform type. In this figure is the platform of the scale and 70 the beam thereof. The

valve part of my device is supported prefen.

ably by the supply pipe 13, and the spout 2O of the device is connected with the drum 86 is connected as shown through the battery and switch 89 with the binding posts of the electromagnetic coil by means of leads 90. As hereinbefore pointed out the cut-ofi 65 is arranged below the scale beam 70, whereby when the container 86 is empty, and up to the time when it has received the predetermined amount of liquid, the scale beam will naturally be in the position shown in Fig. 1 where it will depress the button 76 and cause the contact springs 74 and 7 5 to be engaged. This will cause current to flow through the battery switch 89, and leads 90 to the electromagnetic coil 55 thereby energizing the same I its weighted portion 43 to the position shown in Fig. 3 where its arm 44 will be brought in contact with the undersurface of the segment 45 of the operating arm. When now the operating arm is moved to raise the valve plug 22 thereby opening the valve, the arm 44 will engage with the notches 46 or 4'? on the underside of the segment 45, and thus retain the valve plug in its open or elevated position. Fluid coming through the supply pipe 13 will now enter the drum 86 through thespout 20 and hose 87 until the predetermined amount of liquid has been run into the drum. At this point the scale beam 7 0 will beelevated and when the, contact spring 7 4 moves out of contact with the spring 7 5 the electric circuit will be broken thus de-energizing the electromagnet 55 and permitting the hammer 50 to fall. When the hammer 50 falls it strikes the arm 44 of the trigger thus releasing its engagement with the segment of the operating arm, and allowing the valve plug 22 to fall thus abruptly closing off the flow of liquid. The springs 74 and 75 are so delicate that the tension produced by them is negligible. The button 76 with its stem 7 7 is preferably made of aluminum or other material having light specific gravity so that there is practically no pressure exerted upon the scale beam to affect its accuracy or sensitiveness. The weight of the fluid may be adjusted by raising or lowering the cut-off 65 through the medium of the nuts 71. If the cut-off is raised, a greater amount of fluid will be placed in the drum while if it is lowered a lesser amount of liquid will be placed into the drum.

As hereinbefore described, the cut-ofi 65 is 7 arranged below the scale beam and because of this arrangement when the predetermined weight has been reached, it is practically disconnected from the beam and does not, therefore, interfere with the action of the scale or affect its accuracy, whereby the weightof the container with its contents may be checked up on the scale before it is removed therefrom, thus making it unnecessary to place the container upon a separate scale in checking up the accuracy of the device.

Obviously, some modifications of the details herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims, and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described, the form shown being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A liquid filling device comprising a normally open filling valve, mechanically operated trigger means for retaining the valve in its open position, a normally closed electric circuit, electromagnetic means associated with the electric circuit for causing the release of said trigger means, and cut-off means connected in the electric circuit and controlled by the liquid when a predetermined amount has flowed through the device.

2. A liquid filling device comprising a normally open filling valve, a trigger for holding the valve open, gravity means for releasing the trigger, and electromagnetic means for holding the gravity means until the predetermined amount of liquid has flowed through the device.

3. A liquid filling device comprising a normally open filling valve, a trigger for holding the valve open, gravity means for releasing the trigger, an electromagnet for holding the gravity means in its elevated position, and cut-off means controlled by the liquid when a predetermined amount has flowed through the device.

4:. A liquid filling device comprising a normally open filling Valve, a trigger for holding the valve open, the trigger having a weighted part and an outwardly extending arm, an operating handle having a notched segment for engagement with the arm of the trigger, gravity means for releasing the trigger, and normally closed electromagnetic means for holding the gravity means until the predetermined amount of fluid has flowed through the device.

5. A filling device comprising a normall open filling valve, a trigger for holding the valve open, and a pivotally mounted hammer engageable with the trigger andelectromagnetically held so that when released it Will fall.

6. A filling device comprising an outlet valve, an operating handle connected to the valve and having a segment formed with a notch, a trigger engageable with the notch of the segment to hold the valve open, and an electromagnetically controlled means for releasing the trigger from engagement with the segment of the operating handle.

7 A filling device comprising an outlet valve, an operating handle connected to the valve and having a segment formed with a notch, a trigger engageable with the notch of the segment to hold the valve open, a hammer engageable with the trigger, an electromagnet for holding the hammer in its elevated position, and cut-01f means for de-energizing the electromagnet.

8. In a liquid filling device, the combination with a scale and a receptacle mounted on the scale, of a normally open filling valve, mechanically operated trigger means for retaining the valve in its open position, a normally closed electric circuit, electromagnetic means associated with the electric circuit for causing the release of said trigger means, and cut-off means controlled by this scale beam for interrupting the electric circuit and closing the valve when the predetermined amount of liquid has flowed into the receptacle.

9. In a liquid filling device, the combination with a scale and a receptacle mounted on the scale, of a normally open filling valve, mechanically operated trigger means for retaining the valve in its open position, a normally closed electric circuit, electromagnetic means associated with the electric circuit for causing the release of said trigger means, and an electric switch mounted below and actuated by the scale beam for controlling the electric switch.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

ARTHUR STEVENS.

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