US2032163A

US2032163A - Filling machine

Info

Publication number: US2032163A
Application number: US635621A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph B Bagby
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-09-30
Filing date: 1932-09-30
Publication date: 1936-02-25
Anticipated expiration: 1953-02-25

Description

R. B. BAGBY FILLING MACHINE Feb. 25, 1936.

Filed Sept. 50, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet w m 7. m m

ff s

Feb. 25, 1936. R. B. BAGBY v 2,032,163

FILLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 50, 19:52 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 In Jen t2":

Feb. 25, 1936. BAGBY FILLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 30, 1932 5. Sheets-Sheet 5 will Ill Wynn Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FILLING MACHINE Ralph B. Bagby, Evanston, Ill.

Application September 30, 1932, Serial No. 635,621

2 Claims.

The general object of my invention is to pro-- vide a new and improved filling machine for such materials wherein the withdrawal of material from a supply and the discharge thereof into a container is controlled by a valve and a more particular object of my invention is to provide such a machine embodying means adapted to delay the withdrawal and discharge of the ,ma-

.terial during the operation of the valve.

Another object is to provide a new and improved filling machine adapted to withdraw predetermined amounts of the material from a supply thereof and to effect complete and accurate discharge of the withdrawn material into-containers of suitable sizes.

In filling machines heretofore used in the filling of containers with a viscous substance, a cutoff mechanism has been necessary to insure complete filling of the container and to prevent dripping and consequent waste of the material. A further object of my invention is to provide such a machine with means to insure complete filling of the container and to prevent dripping and waste without employing a cut-oi: mechanism.

A still further object is to provide a machine for filling a container with different substances without intermingling the same.

And a still further object is to provide a filling machine of simple and economical construction and efiicient and positive operation.

Further objects will become readily apparent y from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of my invention and wherein certain parts are broken away;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the side of the machine opposite that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view;

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary partially diagrammatic detail views; Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 6-6 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of another form of my invention;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the side of the machine opposite that shown in Fig. 7 and wherein a portion of the drive is broken away;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a part of the drive mechanism;

Fig. 10 is a detail view taken substantially on the line on Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the form shown in Fig. 7 in which certain parts are broken away;

Fig. 12 is an elevation looking in at the right hand end of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line |3|3 on Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line |4-|l on Fig. 7; and

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the filling tube of which a part is broken away.

In the accompanying drawings and more par- 5 ticularly in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, I6 is the base of the machine and it is preferably rigidly secured to a suitable support such as a table top I! or the like.

The base l6 includes an outwardly projecting arm l8 having an opening l9 extending therethrough. A valve housing 20 is suitably secured to the upper side of the arm l8 and includes an inlet 2| and an outlet 22 which are aligned with each other. A filling tube F communicates with the outlet 22 and extends through the opening IS.

A collar 23 is provided on the housing 20 adjacent the inlet 2| and the lower end of the neck 24 of the substantially funnel-shaped hopper 25' or other suitable storage device is screw-threaded into this collar. An oscillatory valve member 26 is mounted in a bore 21 in the valve housing 20 and has trunnions at opposite ends thereof. One of the trunnions is journaled in a wall unitary with the valve housing and closing one end of the bore therein. The other trunnion is journaled in a removable cover plate 28 closing the opposite end-of the bore and held in position by suitable securing devices such as the bolts 29. A collar 30 extends from the side of the housing 20 and one end of a cylinder 3| is screw-threaded there-- in. An opening 32 is provided in the valve housing 20 and it is arranged in 90 relationship with the inlet 2| and outlet 22 and communication is established through this opening between the bore 21 and the interior of the cylinder 3 I. A substantially quandrant-shaped recess 33 is provided in the valve member 26 and upon rotation of the valve member, communication is established through this recess first between the inlet 2| and opening 32, as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1, and then between the opening 32 and the outlet 22, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. A piston 34 is reciprocal in the cylinder 3| and one end of a pitman 35 is pivotally connected thereto.

" end thereof pivotally connected to the piston 34 v the end of thebase opposite the arm l8 and has a bearing at the free end thereof in which a shaft 31 is journaled. A disk 38 is fast on the shaft 31 and has a cam groc've 39 in one face thereof. A stud 40' has one end thereof screw-threaded into the side of the opposite to the cam groove as shown at 4| in Fig. 6 and this stud includes a head e2. A crank 43 is also fast on the shaft 31. The end of the pitman opposite to the is enlarged and has a longitudinally extending substantially rectangular opening 44 therein. A 1

screw 55 extends into the opening 44 from the end of the pitman and has a lock nut 46 thereon. The stud 40 is disposed in the opening 44 intermediate to the inner end thereof and the end of the screw so that the enlarged end of the pitman is retained between the head 42- and the disk 38. A she-1L4! is journaled in bearings 48 and 43 provided on the base l6. An arm 50 is fast on the shaft 41 adiacent the bearing 43 and at the free end of this arm is a roller'ii disposed in the cam groove 33. An arm 52 is fast on the shaft 5'! and one end of a pitman 53 is pivotally connected with the free end of this arm. The other end of the pitman 53 is pivotally and releasably connected to the arm 54 which is fast on the trunnion of the valve member 25 projec ing through the cover plate 28.

The operation of the device is as follews:Ice cream, cheese, cold cream,;salad dressing or other viscous substance with which the containers are to be filled is introduced into the hopper 25. The crank 43 is moved to rotate the disk 36 and in this rotation, as will be explained hereinafter, the valve member 26 E arranged to dispose the recess 33 in the broken line position of Fig. 1. After the valve is so positioned, the piston 3% starts to move rcarwardly through the cylinder 3i. The positic-n of the end of the screw 45 in the opening 44 is determined prior to the start cf the operation and the screw is held against displacement by the lock nut 46. Assuming the parts to be in the position illustrated in Fig. the. position of the screw is such that the disk 33 rotates for a short distance before the stud as so moves through the opening that it engages the end of the screw and hence there is some lost motion, the utility of which will be explained. As the disk rotates with the stud in engagement with the end of the screw, the pitman is moved rearwardly and the piston so moves tmough the cylinder that the material is sucked through the inlet 3| and the recess 33 and opening 32 into the cylinder. Obviouslmthe extentof the movement of the piston rearwardly through the cylinder controls the amount of sucked thereinto. The distance the piston moves is determined by the position of the screw 45 far the nearer the outer end oi the opening the end of the screwis disposed, the less will be the movement of the piston for there will be a greater amount of lost motion prior to the engagement of the stud with the end of the screw when the screw is positioned near the outer end of the opening than when the screw is positiened close to the inner end of the opening.

As the disk continues to rotate, the partslnove into the position shown in Fig. 2 and, after attaining this position, the stud 40 no longer tends to drive against the screw but tends to drive against the inner end of the opening. However,

the space between the end of the screw and the inner end of the opening is always greater than the diameter of the stud and hence there is some lost mction beforethe stud engages the inner end of the opening to force the piston forward- ,During this lost motion, the cam groove '39 causes the arm 55 to so move that the shaft 41 and the arm 52 are moved. This movement is transmitted through the link 53 to the arm 54 and the arm is moved and rotates the valve member 26 to dispose the,recess'33 in the full line position shown in Fig. 1, whereupon cammunication through said recess between the opening 32 and the outlet 22 is established, the

valve previously having shut off this communication. When the valve is disposed in the full line position of Fig. 1, communicatienpbetween the opening 32 and inlet 3! is shut oil. Hence when the lost motion is taken up and the piston is driven forwardly, the material sucked into the cylinder on the rearward stroke of the piston is forced out through the opening 32, the outlet 22 and filling tube F into the container positioned about the filling tube. Inasmuch as the stud 40 is driving against the inner end of the opening 44, the piston is always driven to the forward end of the cylinder for the relationship between the inner end of this opening and the center of the disk is not varied as is the relationship between this center and the end of the screw 45. Following the positioning of the piston in the forward end of the cylinder at which time the parts are in the dead center position of Fig. 4, the stud 40 tends to move away from the inner end of the opening 44 and there is some lost motion before the stud engages the end of the screw 45, as shown in Fig. 5, and during the interim of this lost motion the cam groove acts through the parts described to rotate the valve member 23 back into the broken line position of Fig. 1 so that upon the foil-owing rearward movement of the piston a fresh charge of material is sucked into the cylinder.

The-reason for selectively varying the rear-- ward movement of the piston by altering the position of the screw 45 is that the quantity of the material sucked into the cylinder is to be just sufficient to fill the container in the desired amount. Due to the viscosity of the material, it might tend to cling to the discharge portion of the machine but in my device this is avoided by v the particular construction of the filling tube F. In a machine not equipped with my filling tube,

a drip depends from the discharge 'nozzle particularly where the container is spaced from the end of the nozzle. A mechanically operated cutoff is customarily provided to break away this drip to insure proper filling of the container. Not only does this cut-on tend to insure proper filling of the container but it prevents such drips from spilling over onto the sides of the containers inturned lip 12 (Fig. 15) at the discharge end 01' the tube F. The inward extent of the lip is determined by the viscosity of the material, for obviously it iseasier to retain material of high viscesity thanit is material of low viscosity. The

; lip "32 sustains the material in the tube and at the end of an operation when the ecg tainer is slightly moved from position below the filling tube, the cohesion of the material causes whatever drip there maybe to break 0!! at the end of the tube. This break off of the drip occurs before the container is entirely removed from position below the tube and since no material is pulled from the .tube it is prevented from spilling over the sides of the container and the proper amount of material is introduced into each container. 12 has a dual function, that is to say, it insures the break off of the drip upon movement of the container away from the tube and sustains the remaining material in the tube. If the mouth of the filling tube is placed deep in the container, a concave surface is obtained; if the mouth of the tube is above the container, a convex surface results; and if it is placed even with the container, a level surface can be secured.

Often filling machines of the kind to which this invention appertains are used to fill different substances and this requires that the machine be cleaned after it has been usedto fill one substance and before it is used to fill another and it is also desirable to clean the machine at the end of each period of use. To this end it is arranged so that it can be easily disassembled.

The hopper, the filling tube and the cylinder are all screw-threadedly joined to the valve housing. Hence to disengage these parts, they need only be unscrewed and after having been removed from the machine, cleaning isvery easy. To

facilitate removal of the cylinder, the piston is' removed and this may be done by detaching the stud 40 or by disconnecting the pitman from the piston. To clean the valve, the link 53 is detached from the arm 54 and the bolts 29 are removed whereupon the cover plate 28 may be removed at the time the valve member is withdrawn from the bore and, after these parts have been removed, they may likewise be cleaned. It is clear that assembly of the machine is also simple and inasmuch as assembly and disassembly are simple, the cleaning operation is expedited and hence the machine need not be kept inoperative for any length of time.

The form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 7 to 14 inclusive is power operated and is adapted: to simultaneously fill two substances into one container. The machine is particularly adapted for filling ice cream in paper cups and is particularly suited for use where two flavors of ice cream are introduced into one cup.

A hopper 55 is provided and extending diametrically thereacross is a partition 56 dividing the hopper into independent sections. At the discharge end of the hopper is a casting 56 which is bolted onto overhanging arms at one end of the base 51. Secured to the underside of the casting 56' is a valve housing '58 having an oscillatory valve member 59 mounted in a bore 69 therein. The valve member 59 has two recesses such as 6| therein, and these recesses are each substantially ,-'similar to the recess 33. The valve member 59 has trunnions at opposite ends thereof, one of which extends through a cover plate 63 and has an arm 64 connected thereto. An opening 65, Fig. 13, is provided in the casting 56 in alignment with the recesses 6|. An inlet 66 is provided in thevalve housing through which communication is established between the opening 65 and the recesses 6|. On the side of the valve housing opposite the inlet 66 is an outlet 61. Secured to the underside of the valve housing 58 is a filling tube T and this tube communicates with the outlet 61. A partition 68 divides the opening 65 into two parts and this partition is aligned with the partition 56 in the hopper 55.

From this it is apparent that the lip A partition 69 in the inlet 66 includes a rounded edge embracing the valve member 59 and this partition is aligned with the partition 68. A partition I0 divides the outlet 61 into two parts and a partition divides the filling tube T into two parts. An inturned lip '12 is provided at the lower end of the filling tube T and the corners of the partition are'cut'away as. indicated at 13 so that the partition may rest on the lip 12. It is manifest that the separated chambers in the various parts and individual recesses are isolated from each other and consequently when different materials are introduced into the hopper 55, these materials may be independently withdrawn from the separate compartments and independently discharged through the filling tube T. The foregoing arrangement enables me to fill containers with different substances at the same time and if the viscosity of the substances is sufficient to prevent free flowing thereof, the materials are segregated in the container.

In order to independently withdraw the materials from the separate compartments in the hopper 55, I provide independent cylinders 14 and 15 which are screw-threaded into the side of the valve housing in substantially right-angular relationship with the inlet 66 and the outlet 61, independent openings such as 16 being provided in alignment with the cylinders 14 and 15. The base 51 includes an upstanding portion and projecting from the upper end thereof parallel to the base are two rods 11 and 18. Sleeves l9 and 88 are respectively slidable along the rods 77 and 78 and are interconnected by a rod 8|.

Piston rods

82 and 83 extend between the rod 8| and piston such as 84 respectively reciprocal in the cylinders 14 and 15. One end of a pitman 16 is rotatively connected to the rod 8|, intermediate the

piston rods

82 and 83, and the end of the pitman opposite that connected to the rod 8| is enlarged as at 85 and has an opening 86 therein substantially similar to the opening 64, A screw 81 extends into the opening 86 from the free end of the pitman and has a lock nut 88 thereon to retain it in position. A stud 89 similar to the siud 48 extends through the opening 86 and is connected to the disk 99 fast on the shaft 9|. The shaft 9| is journaled in bearings provided in a gear case 92 in which gear case a suitable speed reducing mechanism is provided which is connected to a shaft of the motor 93. When the motor 93 is set in operation, the shaft 9| is rotated which causes rotation of the disk 98 whereupon movement is transmitted through the pitman 16 to the rod 8| and thence through the

piston rods

82 and 83 to the pistons in the cylinders 14 and 15. The interconnection between the stud 89 and the pitman I6 is substantially similar to the interconnection between the stud 49 and the pitman 35 and there is a lost motion following movement of the stud through dead center positions. In the interim of this lost motion, the valve member 59 is rotated and to accomplish this, a track cam 94 is provided which is integral with the disk 99, Fig. 9, Projecting up from the base is a boss 95 and plvotally mounted at the upper end thereof is a bell crank 96. A roller 91 is mounted at the free end of the arm 98 of the bell crank and this roller-travels in the track cam 94. The arm 99 of the bell crank98 includes a portion which extends down along the side of the boss 95 and a stud Hill is connected therein. The stud H10 projects through the slot |9| at one end of the link I02 and the opposite end of this link is are at the inner ends of the cylinders I4 and I5 and during the lost motion subsequent to -movement of the stud 89 through dead center position adjacent the cylinders, the track cam causes the valve member to be oscillated so as to position the recesses 6| in the full line position shown-in Fig. 13 and at the end of the lost motion the stud 89 engages the inner end of the screw 8'! and consequently the pistons are caused to move rearwardly through the cylinders to withdraw material from the individual compartments in the hopper and this material passes into the cylinders. During the lost movement subsequent to movement of the stud 89 through dead center position remote from the cylinders, the track cam 94 causes the valve member 59 to so 'move that the recesses Bl are arranged in the broken line position of Fig. 13 and at the end of the lost motion, the pistons move forwardly through the cylinders and expel the material from the cylinders whereupon the material passes through the filling tube into a container positioned therebelow. It is essential that the partition H be provided in the filling tube for otherwise the materials intermingle while passing therethrough and segregation thereof is impossible. It is to be understood that the dividing partitions may be omitted and that the machine may be used to fill but one substance, and it may be so used when the partitions are employed. Furthermore, the divisions and number of cylinders and pistons may be increased without departing from the purview of the invention.

It is manifest from the foregoing description that I have provided a filling machine wherein a predetermined quantity of material may be withdrawn from a supply thereof and introduced into a chamber. The machine includes a filling tube which insures complete filling of the containers and which prevents waste of the material. Moreover, the valves controlling communication between the cylinders and the supply and discharge devices remain entirely open during the movement of the pistons through the cylinders and consequently there is no restricted passage during the last portion of the movement of the pistons in opposite directions. Furthermore, the 5 vention but itis to be understood that these 15 are capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I- claim:

1. In a filling machine, means for withdrawing a'substance from a supply thereof and for discharging it into a container and including a stationary cylinder having a port therein through which the substance may pass into said cylinder and be discharged therefrom, a piston reciprocal in said cylinder, a rotary member, a stud on said member, a pitman having an opening therein adapted to receive said stud, and adjustable means extending into said opening to engage said stud to limit movement thereof in said opening, said stud engaging one end of said opening to effect movement of said piston through said cylinder to discharge the substance through said port, and engaging said adjustable means to efiect movement of said piston through said cylinder to draw the substance into said cylinder through said port.

2. In a filling machine, the combination of a stationary horizontal cylinder, a piston and a piston rod, a rotary horizontal valve arranged with its axis of rotation at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, a horizontal shaft arranged transversely of said cylinder, 9. disc fixed to said shaft, a stud projecting from one face of said disc and connected to said piston rod, a cam track on said disc on the face opposite to said stud, and means operating in 50 said cam track for actuating said valve.

RALPH B. BAGBY.