US1879794A - Container filling machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept, 27, 1932. R. N. cuNDALL CONTAINER FILLING MACHINE original Filed ont. 23, 1928 Patented Sept. 277, 1932 UNiTED STATES lP49511:Nr

ROBERT N. CUNDALL, `or BLASDIELL, NEW YORK.. kASSGnILxTQn l .THE HQE-NER .AU'IKJ MATIC MACHINERY CoRroR-A'rromolj BUEFALOXNEW YQRK, A oonronappron or NEW 'YORK original application :ned octoberza, 1928, ,serial Nac-14,469. niv-idea and this application aieizuiy as;

ooNTAINnn ,FILLING 'MAGHlNE 1931. 'Serial NQ. 552,572.

'This invention relates to a machinefor tilling containers with powdered :materials such as talc, baking powder, and medical land toilet preparations -o powdered form.

It lis the object of this invention to provide improved means for accurately measuring .the powdered material which lis delivered Ito `each of the containers.

This is a division .of an .application filed October 23, 1928, Serial Number 314,469.

' nthe `accom'panyin-g dra-wing:

Fig. l is arfragmentary vertical 'transverse section :oa container filling machine Vembodying 'my improvements.

Fig. 2 -is la similar view ofi' Athe .measuring device with the :parts ina position different from that sho-wn in Fig. 1.

`Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary horizontal sections taken on 'the correspondingly 'numhei-ed lines in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is .a -vertical section taken Aon line 5 5, Fig. 4.

lF-igftl `lis a vertical section showing va .modified torni oi: the means for' controlling the discharge of vpowdered Vmaterial .from "the supply reservoir. Y

In lthe follow-ing description `similar characters -of reference lindicatelilke parts in the several 1lig'ures of the drawing.

The stationary main ltrame ofth-e :machine upon which :the -Working parts are mounted maybe ofany suitable `oonstructionlbut the same, as vshown in vvthe drawings, preferably comprises apedestall6,=and a base 17 mount.- ed on this pedestal and provided with forwardly projecting Ytrent brackets 18 and :up-- wardly projecting .rear brackets'l.-

The numeral 20' represents'the containers which are to be filled with the Vpresent machine andlwhi'ch'may be' of `anysuitable form in'horizontal-section `and adaptedf'to .-beolosed at the upperendbyacap. Thesecontainers are -moved `past lthe 'filling position while mounted-onthe-upper horizontal stretch ofia conveyer or ifeeding'belt 22fand running' over tracks Y27 and the containers are Vheldagainst lateral displacement from the feeding 'belt by rails 28 Varranged :lengthwise Y.onwopposite sides of the tracks and thecontainer filling position.- Y

" The numeral 38 represents the maindsliavlV ing .shaft .of the machine Vwhich is -j our-nailed horizontally and lengthwise :in the lower rear pant of the aaa-ain frame.

vThe :parts ,of eachA of the 1filling .devices which coeoperate directly with .each tainer are constructed as follows The numeral 64C represents ione of :a plural# ity of vertically movable -Jilling heads or nozf.

zles .arranged respectivelylabove :the -seyeral containers while Athe .latter are Lat :the Jlli-ng stations, each of .these heads, being .provided at its Flower .end Witlaja downwialdly 'facing nabber or .elastic ring 65 ,adapted to Y engage the upper iedge .of .oneof the containers upon lowering the respective head and form .an tight joint therewith `when the head is lowered into its operative position. y .l

rEhe several filling headsv or nozzles are mounted on ia vertically movable yoke 'G6 which latter is :provided with .upper tand low.- er flanges 67, 68,1"n which necks 69 .on the ,upper .ends of Ithe heads are 5capable of. Asliding vertically. Eachiozt these heads isyieldingl-y heldA in its `slowermaost position onthe Yyoke in.- dependentl-y o the other heads 'by asprng 70 surnounding the .respective neck .and ybear'E ing :at .its :upperiend :against acollar Klon the neck, which collar also -limits the .downward Vmovementlof .fthe head ley-engaging fthe .up-

per side .oct the lower yoke ange 1.68 .when the headdoes not eng-age Iaacontainer.

`The Vdownward `movement `of the `yoke an the ipa-nts mountedthereon lis elfected fby gravity :but lthe .upward movement Yof `the fsame is effected fby means 'which .comprise `a ,pair of vertically swinging :levers 7.2 ipivoted at their inner and outerends respectivelytofthe main frame .and said yoke, .-a rotary-cam .73

secured :to fa rotary. shaft-stl, a :cam rock farm 7 eiturning on-:t-he s'hat BSandcngagi-ngpwth the cam 7 3, and a cross bar 7 5 connectingfthe rock levers )7.2 v:an-dconnected by .a .rod 76 with fthe .cam` rock anm 174.

Due :to this yielding connection v:between 9 each filling :head A.and :the fyoke,f.reaoh of the heads, .upon loweringthe yoke, fwill .engage its flowerrend .withtherespectivefcontainer ndependently of theother heads and fthereby enablealllof-athe heads to engage theseveral containers properly notwithstanding that there may be some variation in the height of.

arrested in its downward movement before the yoke completes its downward movement.`

Each of the filling heads is provided with an inlet passage 77 whichfextends downwardly therefrom within the neck-of thev respective container and an outlet passage78 which opens at the lower end of the head at a point above the lower end of the inlet passage 77.

The inlet passage extends to the'rear side of the head and is connected by a flexible tube 79 with the lower part of a vpowder supply bin, hopper or reservoir 80 through the medium of a controlling device. The outlet passage 78 communicates with the neck of the respective head and this neck is connected at its upper end by a liexible tube 81y with a suction manifold 82 mounted on a suitable supportzsuch' as the front side of the reservoir, as shown in Fig. 1. This suction manifold isfconnected-with `an exhaust pump or other suitable exhausting vdevice so that a vacuum is 'createdwithin the several filling heads and the conduits andcontainers communicating therewith.

IWhile the filling heads are elevated and not engaged with containers the suction of the pump on the manifold 82 causes the ex- Y ternal air to be drawn into the outlet passages of the heads without producing any effect on the powder in thereservoir. When,

however,.the heads are engagedfwith the con-` tainers, the suction eifect of the pump causes air and powder to be drawn from the supply through the supply pipes or tubes 79 and as this powder issues from the lower end of the inlet passage 77 the same issepa-rated from the air due to the reversed direction of movement which the air is compelled to take in escaping throughvthe outlet passage 78,

thereby causing the liberated powder to ydrop into the containers. When a container has been lled with powder up to the lower end of the inlet passage the continued suction of the pump carries the .surplus powder thereafter withdrawn from the supply to a separator which may be of any suitable construction, and enables the by-passed powder to be recovered and eventually returned to the reservoir for filling the same into containers. i

Y The material to be packed may be supplied to the reservoir from any suitable source, for example bya pipe, (not shown) leading to the top of the reservoir for replenishing thematerial when required. Y In the absence ofany provision to agitate and distribute the` material in the reservoir,

.65 the same is liable to become packed andV flow,

unevenly into the several filling headsand tomeet this condition an agitating and distributing device is provided consisting preferably of a screw conveyer 85 arranged horizontally and lengthwise vrin the lower part of the reservoir adjacent to the discharge openings leading to the powder supply tubes.

Between the lower end of the powdered material supplymagazine 80 and each supply tube 79 is arranged'a controlling device which is preferably constructed so as to also measure the batches of material which are delivered tosuccessive containers. This form of controlling device is best shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3,l 4 and 5, and constructed as follows:

The numerals 90, 91,7represent the` upper and lower sections of a measuring chamber' whichV telescope one `within the other so that the capacity of this chamber may be accurately determined by moving these telescopic sections toward and from each other. This adjustment may be-effected in any suitable manner but preferably by two right and left hand screws 92 engaging with threaded openings in flanges 93 on opposite sides ofthe measuring chamber sections, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and adapted when turnedone direction or another to separate thesesections or bring them together for either. increasing or decreasing the capacity of the chamber.

The upper section of the measuring chamber is connected by a hollow top 94 withan outlet in thebottom of the material supply reservoir and the lower section of this chamber is connected by a hollow base 95 with the inlet end of the respective supply tube 79. Between the upper measuring chamber section and the top 94 is formeda horizontal guideway 96 in which an inlet slide valve 97 moves for the purpose ofbringing aport 98 in this valve either into orrout of register with the passage leading from therreservoir to the measuring chamber and thus permitting flow of material from, the reservoir into the measuring chambery or cutting'V o such flow.` A similar guideway 99 is formed bctween .the lower measuring chamber section andthe base 95 in which an outlet slide valve 100 moves for bringing a port 101 in this valve either into or out. of register with the passage from the measuring chamber to the respective fillingV head and thus permit the delivery of the contents of this chamber or shutting the same jeff. The slide valves are actuated so that they vare opened alternately, this being preferably accomplished by a pair of elbow levers 102, 103 mounted on rock shafts 202, 203 j ournaledin bearings on the kmain vframe and havingupwardly projecting arms connected respectivelyjwith the upper inlet and lower outlet slide valves while their lower -arms project` forwardly and back-' wardly, respectively, from their axes. Y

The rock shaft 202 carries the several elbow levers 102 associated With the inlet valves of the several measuring chambers and is rocledfby means which include a cam 1041011 the Vcounter shaft 41, a-roclr lever 204 :which is turned in one direction by said. cam 104 and in the opposite direction by a spring 304, and a rod 214 connecting the rock lever204 with a rock arm 404 on the rock shaft 202. y

The rock shaft 203 carries the vseveral elbow levers 103 of the outlet valves of the measuring chambers and is rocked by means which include a cam 303 mounted on the counter. shaft'41, a rock lever 503 which is turned in one direction by the cam 30.3, a spring603 which turns the rock lever 503 in the opposite direction, and a. rod605 which connects the rock lever 503 with a rock arm 703 on the rock shaft 203, as shown in F ig. 8.V

During each 'cycle of operations of the ma chine the cams 104, 303, makea complete turn and first cause the upper slide' valve 97 to open and the lower slide valve 100 to close so that the measuring chamber will become filled with powdered material, and then cause the upper valve 97 to 'close and the lower valve 100 to open and permit the suction from the manifold on the filling head to Vdraw the measured quantity of material from the measuring chamber to the container.

lny order to prevent the' formation of a vacuum in the` measuring chamber and to permit `the material to be promptly and completely withdrawn therefrom when this chamber is cut oli. from thesupply bin and connected with a filling head, the upper section of the measuring chamber is provided with a plurality of vent openings 107 and also with longitudinal vent grooves 207 in the external .flange on the lower part of the upper Vmeasuring chamber section, which openings and grooves leadto the outer at- Biosphere.

Similar vent holes 108 leading from the interior of the measuring chamber to the exterior are provided Yin the upperrpart of the hollow base which connects the measuring chamber with the respective delivery tube 79 so as to prevent the formation of a vacuum in this part of the supply passage when the lower valve is closed and thus permits of effectively withdrawing any material therefrom at this time. n

The mechanism for operating the slide valves 97, 100, is so timed that the measuring chamber connects with the respective con-v tainer while its filling head is lowered into Y engagement therewith, but this chamber is only connected with the supply reservoir while the respective filling head is lifted from its container sothat illing of the measuring chamber proceeds while the containers vare advanced from one place to another by the conveyer.

f the material to be packed into the conl ktainers does not require measuring and the Asame is of a free flowing character the incas-l iiring device may be omitted and instead Va single slide valve 109 may be employed in a guideway V110 between the upper'and. lowersections 111-, 112fof a valve casing connect= ing respectively with the supply reservoir I and the delivery tube 79 which valve maybe! held tightly against the upper section 111"l byspring pressed balls 113, as shown in Fig. 6, or otherwise to prevent leakage, and this valve may alsobe actuated/by `means'which include a roch arm 114 engaging with 'thisVv ValsoV while the supplying operation is suspended and the containers are advancing step by step from 'one filling station to another.

form the vibrating. or

In itsVV preferred shaking mechanism is constructed as follows:

lArranged underneath theupper stretch of the container feed belt is a vibrating plat form consisting preferably of a pluralityof longitudinal sections 115 and each mounted on the upper end of y v 116 which is guided in asuitable way 117 on the adjacent part of the main frame. Hammer blows in rapid succession are delivered against'the lower end of each vibrating rodl by a hammer head 120 arranged on the front end of a hammer arm 121 which is mounted at its rear-end on a supporting rod 122 carried `by the Y jfraine. hammer arms is turned vin the direction for engaging its head'with the respective vibrating rod 'by a spring 123 interposed between a Jtail 124 on-the underside of this arm and an abutment on the adjacent part of the frame,`

Y arm andY delivers blows in 'rapid succession' and thereby vibrates ory shakeszthe containersso that the material settles therein and therebypermits ofl more completely and solidlyiilling the saine.` i i While the containers are in motion and be-` ingadvanced from one of the stations to anL otherfthe saine are preferably not vibrated and meansv are thereforeV provided fory this purpose which are constructed'as follows z.

Thenumeral 4represents a supporting rock shaft which is j ournaled lengthwiseand horizontally on the` Each Vof these 1 main frame above the:

a vertical v'vibrating Vvrod -V Y is a trip linger 224 several hammer'a-rm's, this shaft being rocked forwardly and backwardly. once during each cycle of operations of the machine by an intermediate rock lever 131turning on the shaft 38 and engaging its lower arm with a cam 132 on the camshaft 11 while its upper arm is connectedby meansI of a link 133 with an upwardly projecting rock arm 134 on the rock shaft 130, as shown in Fig. 1.

' The lower arm of the rock lever 131 is held out pawl or dog 136, which is provided at its upper end witha hub 137 whereby the same is mounted on the shaft 13() while its lower end is adapted to be moved either over a lowface 138 or a high face 139 on the upperside of one of the hammer arms 121 which is arranged immediately below the same.

Vhile the containers arejat rest at the several filling stations and also at the nonfilling zones intermediate of these stations the positionof the cam 132 isV such that the same operates through the medium of the rock 'lever 131 and associated parts to turn the rock shaft 130, so that the lower ends of the latter are moved forwardly over the depressed surfaces 133 of the'several vibrating hammers, as shown by full lines in Fig. 1.V Vhen the parts are in this position each of the hammer arms is free to be thrown by its spring 123 upwardly against the lower end of the respective vibrating rod 116 and Valso drop withits trip linger 124 from the high to the low parts of the teeth on the peripheryv of the adjacentratchet wheel 125, whereby a vibratory or shaking action is imparted to the several containers or cans supported upon the vibrating platforms atl the filling stations Vand intermediate places. As shown in Fig. 1 this vibration is imparted to one of the containers while the upprerendV of the same is engaged by the respective filling head and powdered material is being delivgers thereof areI moved beyond the `path of theteeth on the vibrator ratchet wheels'so that the latter rotate idly without influencing the position of the hammer arms. When the filling heads are again engaged with the upper or inlet ends of the Containers the cam 132 withdraws the several detent pawls 136 from the high faces 139 on the hammer arms so thatthe latter are again free to be shifted by their springs 123 into a position in which their heads engage with the lower ends of the Vvibrating rods and the trip lingers therec of move into the path of the teeth of the ratchet wheels so that vibration or shaking of the containers is resumed.

This machine permits of expeditiously filling containers with material ywhich is free-owing and difficult to control in order to pack the correct amount in each container and it also permits of compacting thematerial so that the containersneed be no larger than necessary, thereby eecting a' substantial economy. c

,I claim' as my; invention: v c A machine for filling containers, comprising a filling head adapted to communicate with the inlet of a container and adapted to be connected with an exhaust device, a material reservoir adaptedA to supply material to said head for delivery into said container, a conduit for conveying the material from said reservoir to said head, and means for measuring the materialpassing through said conduit comprising a measuring chamber having an inlet and an outlet, an inlet valve for controlling said inlet, an outlet valve for controlling said outlet, and means for'openingl and closing said valves alternately, said measuring chamber being provided between said valves kwith vent openings, and said conduit being provided adjacent to said outlet valve with vent openings.

In testimony whereof I hereby affix my signature.

ROBERT N. cUNDALL. i

ered from the supply reservoir into this con- H tainer. Y Y

. l"When the filling heads are lifted from thev containers the cam 132turns the Arock shaft 130 in the direction for shifting the detent pawls 136 from a position `over the depressed faces 138 of the hammer arms, as shown by full lines in Fig. 1 into a position over the.

tainers during .the time that the filling heads Y are out of engagement fromthe'same-. While the'hammer arms are thus depressed thennfri

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