US2122087A - Sealing container - Google Patents

Description

June 28, 1938. F. o. cHoRLToN 2,122,087

' SEALING CONTAINER Filed Deo. 5, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 28, 1938. F. o. cHoRLToN l 2,122,087

SEAIJIIKsry CONTAINER Filed Dec. 5, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l /n ven for.'

Fran/f 0. A C//vofl/on,

June 2s, 193s. E o, L y CHORLTON f 2,122,087

SEALING'CONTAINER Filed Dec. 5, 1954 s sheets-sheet 5 Fr/7k 0. L. Chow/fof?,

By VWM? Patented June 28, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 5, 1934, Serial No. 756,].67 In Great Britain December 14, 1933 9 Claims.

In the process of canning goods it is sometimes found benecial to charge the containers in which the goods are packed and before they are sealed, with an inert or preservative gas, nitrogen being, for example, employed to preserve the avor or aroma or to enhance the keeping properties, and the object of the present invention is to provide a machine in which both the charging and sealing operations are carried out expeditiously and in such manner as to eiect considerable economy in the quantity of `inert gas employed.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. l is a side elevation partly in medial section of a machine for sealing containers in a gas other than atmospheric air,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation mainly in section on the line II, II of Fig. 1, in which the parts are shown to a somewhat larger scale, and in which the pump connections are indicated. The valve V and its casing are in Fig. 2 shown in Section on the line III, III of Fig. 1l, the section being viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows on the said line.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary portion of Fig. 2 to .the same scale as Fig. 1, the view being a section on the line III, III of Fig. 11 viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows on .the said line of section, and f Fig. 4 is a part plan View corresponding with Fig. 3, and

Figs. 5 and 6 show a modification;

Fig. 5 being an elevation in section on the line V, V of Fig. 6, and

Fig. 6 being a plan View in section on the line VI, VI of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing a further modification in which there is a plurality of auX- iliary sealing chambers formed in a rotatable drum.

Figs. 8 and 9 show a further modification in which there is a plurality of auxiliary sealing chambers formed in a rotatable drum;

Fig. 8 being a plan in section on the line VIII, VIII of Fig. 9,

Fig. 9 an elevation in section on the line IX, IX of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a plan view, similar to Fig. 8, and shows a modification in whichy there are twol drums each having a set of auxiliary sealing chambers, the one set being employed to introduce the cans into the main sealing chamber, and the other set to withdraw them therefrom.

Figure 11 is a sectional view of the valve V and its casing v3 on the line XI, XI of Figure 3, the direction in which the section is viewed being indicated by the arrows on the line` of section XI, XI.

A is the main frame of the machine over which is located the driving shaft B, which is driven by the pulley bl from an electric motor or a countershaft.

The shaft B drives the seaming head c located in the sealing chamber C, and also drives a vertical cam shaft D; and cams on the cam shaft control or operate, the clearing rod G, the seaming rollers c5, the shutter valve H, the auxiliary sealing chamber M, and the rising and falling 15 table P. Any suitable mechanism may be employed for this purpose in combination with the gas control means herein described. I have by Way of example illustrated mechanisms for these purposes which are more `fully described in my concurrent application for a patent, Serial No. 756,165, the same letters of reference being employed in both specifications.

The shaft B is journalled in bearings carried in the casing E and F mounted on the top of the frame A; the shaft B is connected by spiral gearing, located in thecasing E, to the vertical shaft of a seaming head c, located in the sealing chamber C; the seaming rollers c5 are rendered operative to bead the lid on the can by any suitable and Well known mechanism, operated by a cam cl mounted on the vertical cam shaft.7D; a pin roller c2 mounted on a transmission member c3 engaging a cam groove in the face of the cam, the member c3l being guided in a fixed guide c4 carried from the main frame and extending into the sealing chamber C and actuating a cam mechanism enclosed in the said chamber.

A clearing rod G is operated by a cam gl actuating a roller g2 on a transmission member g3 guided in a guide g4; one arm of a bellcrank lever g5 being connected to the transmission member g3, the other arm being connected by 45 a rod a6 to a lever y1 pivoted on links g8 carried froml the casing E, the other end of the lever g1 being connected to adjustable stops 99 on the clearing rod G, the function of the rod G is to engage with the lid of any can which may get jammed in the beading mechanism, and to push the can out. k

The cam shaft D is driven from the shaft B, preferably by means o f a worm and worm wheel and slipping clutch housed in the casing F, the

The member h3 carries a head h5 in which i's'.

tted a transverse pin hll having a transverse hole in which latter ts the tail endV hill' of a lever h8 pivoted at h8 to la fixed'V bracket hj'lr in which the shaft D rotates freely, the upper end of the lever hB is connected'by a link hg.

to a stem attached to the shutter valve H.

K is the table of the machine which'in operation is fixed,A but which Yis adjustably carried from avertical facing onthe frame, A, in this tablea well kl is formed in which slides vertically an auxiliary sealing-chamber M, the hollow cylindrical stem ml5` of the "chamber passing out through the boss at the bottom of the well of the table; the Aupper end of the'sealing chamber is open and its top edge,` in its upper position is adapted to make joint with a packing ring millI carried in a groove in the bottom 015 of the main sealing chamber C., ,Y Y Vertical reciprocating'rnotion is imparted to the auxiliary sealing' chamber M`by means of a cam ml mounted on the cam shaft D- and-'engag'ing with `a roller m2 on the transmission member m3 guided in the fixed nguide m'; a roller m5 on'the member m3 engaging the 'arm mof a bellcrank lever pivoted at ml' to the table K; the other arm m8 of the bellcrank lever being made .law-shaped and being connected b y' two links `m9 to la" pintml'fixedv to the hollow 'stem of the chamber 'Mg and pins'p'assing throughv suitable slots in the wall of the well l! v of the table K.

Y P is a movable table to support the' can J, the `'cylindrical stem-` pl lElfo'f the 'table' passing out throughithe cylindrical stem Y'mIE'of theauxiliary sealing chamber M, the stem plhas fixed at its-bottom end a` groove'ringp, with which engage split rings `pli', connected `by pinspl to opposite sides of'aboW-shaped lever prpivotedi at pTto affixed"A bracket, and'connected to a lever p6 with which a cam roller`.p5"on the transmission member p3 engages. The member p3 isv guided in a xed' guide p4' and has a roller l p2 actuated by Va' cam plV on theshaft D.`- `A spring '11'22"i's" inserted between the table K'and thegroove ring p9 and tendsto return the movable table' P to its lower position.

'A port el? (see'Figs'. 2f'and'3) is formed in the bottom cl5 of the main sealing chamberpCY which portl'eads to.` the opening cl 3, at a point' below the 'shutterv valve H', the other end ofv the port 'ul leads. to a port-v2 in the casing v3.4ofai rotary valve'V (see Fig. 4'). The ports ol andv2 form a passage-way opening into .the aperture cl3.

The casing has two-further. ports U4 and U5, the port vl being connected by apipe 'u'l tothe suctionside of. an exhausting pump Q, and the port i115 leading by a pipe 12Std the suction Yside of a gas. transfer pump S, the'deliveryside of which isconnected by they pipe v9`to an inlet ol'to the main sealing chamber C.

The valve V is adapted to rotate in the casing 1123 in gas-tight manner; the periphery of the valve plugin cross-section,,-is.v of ',D-shapefso that it is adapted in one angular position to connect 'to the end of which stem a bevel Wheel @I3 is tted, which gears with the bevel Wheel old mounted on a shaft @l5 journalled in a fixed bracket UIB, tothe other end of which shaft la bevel wheel vll is fixed which gears with a bevel wheel U18 carried on the cam shaft D (see vIt will be seen that the several parts described are operated once through one complete cycle for each revolution of the cam shaft D and, of course, the'cams aresetv so as to give the correct sequence of operation.

The action is as follows:-

Assuming that the machine is to be employed to seam the cams whilst the interior thereof is subjected to an atmosphere of any suitablev inert or preserving gas; the main sealing chamber C would beconnected to any suitable source of supply of the said gas, so that its interior would be maintained charged at a suitable pressure with the said gas.

Assuming the auxiliary sealing chamber M to be in its lowermost position, in which its top edge is level with or below the top of the table K, that the moving table P is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and that a can J with its lid fitted to it, (and preferably clenched inposition thereon; by means as described in U. S. patent application,V Serial No. 681,996, made by me and led July 24', v1933), has been transferred to the table P and centered thereon, and that the shutter valve H is closed;-the auxiliary sealing chamber M is raised to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, an air-tight joint being made between its upper end and the opening cl3 by means of the jointing ring mlll. At this moment the valve V will con-V nect the port vl through the ports U2' and U11, throughy the pipe UT to the suction side of the exhausing pump Q, with the result that. atmospheric air will be exhausted from both the can and the interior of the chamber M. As soon as this has been accomplished and the valve V closes the port i12, the shutter valve H is operated by the cam hl, and opens the communication between the main sealing chamber C and the interior of the auxiliarysealing chamber M, the latter and the interior of the can becoming charged with the inert gas from the main chamber C.

'Ihe table P and with it the can J will then be raised by the cam ml until the can is in proper ,relationship with the seaming mechanism; the

latter will then, by the operation of the cam cl, be rendered operative to seam the lid of the can in position on the can. The table P is then lowered resuming the position shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the shutter valve H is closed by the operation of the cam hl, and immediately thereit to the main chamber C, thus avoiding any waste Of this gas. There may then be a partial vacuum in the chamber M,`but.`the momentary connection of the port v2 through the port 'o6 restores atmosphere pressure to the chamber M.

As soon as the Valve V has closed the port v2 leading through the port vl to the auxiliary chamber M, the latter is by the operation of the cam ml, lowered to its bottom position in the well kl; the can J is then removed from and the next can to be treated is moved into place on the table P, and the operations described are repeated.

Referring now to Figs. and 6;-K2 is the fixed table which is extended upwardly in the form of two segmental portions le20 of cylindrical conguration, the respective vertical edges of which form two openings k2! and 1G22 of width sufcient to permit a can to be passed laterally through them; the 'auxiliary chamber M2 is of cylindrical conguration, and is mounted within the segmental portions le20 so that its cylindrical surface makes gas-tight joint therewith; the chamber M2 has two openings m2| and m22 which, in one position of the chamber, as shown in Fig. 6, coincide with the openings k2! and 7022.

Angular motion is imparted to the chamber M2 by the cam m20 mounted on a vertically disposed cam shaft D! arranged and driven in a manner similar to that described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4; the cam m20 engages a roller m23 on a lever m24 pivoted at m25, the end of the lever being connected by a rod m26 to a lever m21 attached to the chamber M2. The chamber M2 in this modification has no axial motion and a permanent gas-tight joint is made between the top m28 of the chamber M2 and the bottom cl5 of the casing C, and in order to give a continuous peripheral joint around the openings m2l and m22; these openings do not extend to the top jointing edge m28. The joint between the top of the casing M2 and cl 5 is outside the opening cl3 controlled by the shutter valve H2.

The seaming head c, the rising and falling table P2 and shutter valve H2 are operated substantially as described with reference to Figs. l to 4. The port 'vl corresponds with the port ol in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 and is connected to a valve V by which it is successively put into communication with an air exhausting pump, a gas transfer pump m9, and with the atmosphere, as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4.

The action is as followsy- Assuming the valve H2 to be closed and the chamber M2 occupies the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the can is introduced through one of the openings 7c2| or 7c22 of the fixed cylindrical casing le20, and m2! or m22 of the chamber M2, and is centred on the movable table whilst the table is in its lowermost position, the cam m20 then moves the chamber'M2 until the openings m21 and m22 are closed by the segmental portions lc20; the port oli is then connected to an exhausting pump and the atmospheric air contained in the can and the chamber M2 is exhausted; after the port vil has been closed the shutter valve H is opened by the cam mechanism and the interior of the chamber M2 put into communication through the opening Vcl3-with the interior of the main sealing casing C, and the can Vand chamber charged with the inert gas.

The table P2 is thenraised so as to bring the can and its lid into operative relationship with the seaming rollers which are thereupon made operative by a cam ldriven from the cam shaft DI as described in connection with Fig. 1. When Vthe seaming process is completed the-valve H2 the chamber M2 is transferred to the main chamber C. After port ul is again closed the chamber M2 is moved to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and the can Withdrawn through the openings m2l and k2l which are then in alignment, and whilst the apparatus is in this position the succeeding can is introduced through R222 and m22 and the operations repeated. v

In the modcation illustrated in Fig. '7 there are a series yof auxiliary sealing chambers M3, open at the top and closed at the bottom, suitably spaced near the periphery of a rotatable cylindrical drum m30 which is a gas-tight fit in the semi-cylindrical casing C20 which is a continuation of the main sealing casing C2 in which the sealing head o2! is located. The semi-cylindrical casing C20 makes gas-tight joints with the top, bottom and periphery of the drum m30. The drum m30 is given a. step-by-step angular movement in the direction of the arrow so that the chambers M3 are in succession brought into* position within the casing 020, the t-op of the said casing then closing the chamber.

In the example illustrated there are seven equally spaced chambers M3, and each stepby-step movement given to the drum m30 is oneseventh of a complete revolution, and there is a pause at the end of each step sufliciently long to enable the seaming mechanism to be operated to seam the lid on the can then in position under the seaming head.

Denoting the successive angular positions into which each chamber M3 is moved, as 1, 2, 3, 4,

5, 6 and '7, and assuming that a treated can is removed when its Achamber is in position 6 and a fresh can introduced at position 7, it will be seen that in position l a particular chamber with the can in position is just about to enter the casing 020. As soon as the chamber completely enters the casing the top of the chamber is closed by the top of the casing,l but in passing from position 1 to position 2 the top of the chamber passes under a port U20 formed in the top of the casing, and connected to an exhausting pump, by which the atmospheric air in the chamber and the can are exhausted. In position 2 the top of the chamber is still closed by the casing 020 but as the can passes from position 2 to position 3 in alignment with the seaming head 02|, the can' and chamber become filled with the gas contained and supplied to the sealing chamber C2.

In position 3 the lid is seamed on to the can.

In position 4 the top of the chamber is again closed by the casing cl2!) and in passing from position 4 to position 5 the chamber passes under a port u2! connected to a gas transfer pump by which the inert gas in the auxiliary sealing chamber. is transferred to the main sealing chamber through the port p22. In position 5 the sealing chamber passes out of the casing and `between this position and position l the treated can is removed and an untreated can inserted.

The required step-by-step movement with a pause at the end of each step is given to the drum m30 and the relative movement between the seaming head and the can in position for seaming is given to the seaming headgby any suitable and well known mechanisms, for example, the drum m30 may be driven from a cam shaft through a lever tted with a ratchet engaging a detent xed to the drum, the relative movement between the can and the seaming head andmovement of theseaming rollers into operative position being given by any suitable and known cam mechanism operated by the same cam shaft.

In the modification shown in Figs.` 8 and'9 the arrangement is similar to that last described except that the casing 02|, which is an extension of the sealing chamber C, is carried'almost around the periphery of the drum rrn3l, and that the auxiliary s-ealing chambers M4 (of which four are shown) formed in the drum may be closed at the top by the part m32 and at the bottom by the part m33 but have open fronts m34. When a chamber Mii is in position 1 opposite the opening C22 in the casing 02| the can J is introduced. A step-by-step movement is given to the drum mSl, the first step of which brings the chamber M4 into position 2, where a port o23 in the top of the chamber is brought into alignment with a port U24 in the cover o23 of the casing, which port C23 communicates with the suction side of an exhausting pump so that air is withdrawn from the chamber and the can the next movement brings the chamber into position 3; the can is now, by any suitable mechanism, for thev purpose well known to those skilled in the manufacture of such machines, moved out of the chamber Mii to the position 3a' in vertical alignment with the seaming head C30 carried in the sealing chamber C3. The can is then filled with the inert gas contained by the chamber C3, and is seamed by operating the seaming head e30, whereupon the can is moved by said mechanism back to a chamber M4 in position 3, which chamber is then carried to position 4 where the port o23V is brought opposite the port U24 connected to a gas transfer pump which exhausts the gas from the chamber M4 and transfers it through the port 1226 to the main sealing chamber C3. The next step brings the chamber back to position 1 where the treated can is withdrawn andan untreated can introduced into the chamber.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 10 is substantially similar to that described in connection with Figs. 8 and 9 except that there are two enclosing parts cZ of the casing C4 and two drums m40 and mM each having four chambers M5. 'I'he chambers are open at the front m42 andthe casings e214 have an opening c25 at the front.

The port 'U30 in the part of the casing enclosing the drum m46 and the port 'u32 inthe part enclosing the vdrum m41' lead to an exhausting pump; and the port'oSl inthe part. of the casing surrounding the drum m4!! and the port 1233 in the part of the casing enclosing th-e drum mM lead to the suction side of a gas transfer pump, the delivery of which is connected to the port U34 in the casing C.

Assuming the apparatus to be in the position shown in Fig. 10 and that a can has been introduced into one of the `chambers M5 in the drum m40, when the said chamber passes from position 1 to position 3 it would with the contained can, on passing the portv o3!) in position 2, be exhausted of atmospheric air, when the chamber reaches position 3 it opens into the interior of the casing C4 lled with the inert gas, the can and chamber are charged with this gas.

By a suitable mechanism well known to those skilled in the manufacture of such machines, the

can is withdrawn from the chamber M5 when it is in position 3, and the can is moved to position 3a in axial alignment with the seaming head 026, and after being seamed is, by the sam-e mechanism, moved into a chamber M5 in the drum m4| occupying the position` 3. Thechamber M5- is then moved in the direction of the arrow opposite the port 'U33 through which the gas transfer pump withdraws the gas in the auxiliary chamber M5 and transfers it to the main chamber through port 34, so that when the chamber M5 in drum m4| reaches position 1 atmospheric air is admitted and the can Withdrawn; the chamber M5 in the drum m40 which was in position 34 when the can was removed` from it, will move in' the direction of the arrow, and when passing the port o3! the inert gas in the said chamber M5 will be withdrawn' and transferred to the main casing.

Having now fully described my invention I declare that what I claim is:-

1. In apparatus for sealing containers in a gas other than atmospheric air, in combination;-a main sealing chamber, the interior of which is maintained charged with the said gas and cut off from the atmosphere; sealing means located within the main chamber; a vacuum pump; a gas transfer pump; the delivery side of which is connected to the interior` of the main chamber; an apertured auxiliary sealing chamber; means to move the auxiliary chamber from a position in which it is open to the atmosphere'and an unsealed container introduced, to a position in which its interior is cut off from the atmosphere and connected to the vacuum pump suction; means to connect the interior of the auxiliary chamber to the interior of the main sealing chamber; means toY present the container to the sealing means; means to operate the latter to effect the sealing; means to disconnect the auxiliary chamber'from the'main chamber; means to close the auxiliary chamber and to connect its interior tothe suction side of the transfer pump; and means to return the auxiliary chamber totheV position' in which its interior is open to the atmosphere.

2. Apparatus for sealing containers in a gas other than atmospheric air, in combination;a main sealing chamber, the interior of which is continuously cut offv from the atmosphere and maintained continuously charged with said gas, said chamber having an aperture with an external facing, and a passageway through the wall of the aperture; a container-sealing device located in the main sealing chamber; meansr for operating the sealingv device; a vacuum pump; a gas transfer pump, the delivery of which is connected to the interior of the main sealing chamber; a valve adapted to close the aperture; means for operating the said valve; amultiple-way rotary valve fitted to the said passageway adapted cyclically to connect the passageway in succession to the suction of the vacuum pump, and'toV the suction of the gas transfer pump; means for driving the rotary valve; an open-topped auxiliary sealing chamber; meansV for moving the auxiliary chamber between two positions, an up- Aper position in which its open top surroundsthe said aperture and makes joint withtheaperture facing, and a lower'position in'whichits open top is below the said facing by a distance slightly greater thank the height of the tallest container to be sealed; a table axially'movable within the auxiliary chamber; meansfor moving the table betweenaflower position in which aY container can be located on it, and an upper position in which it moves the container on it into operative relationship with' the sealing means.

3. Apparatus for sealing containers in a gas other than atmospheric air, in combination;-a

4maintained continuously charged with said gas,

said chamber-having .an aperture with an external facing, and a passage-way through the wall of the aperture; a container-sealing device located in the main sealing chamber; means for operating the sealing device; a vacuum pump; a gas transfer pump the delivery of which is connected to the interior of the main sealing chamber; Va valve adapted to close the aperture; means for operating the said valve; a multiple-way rotary valve fitted to the said passage-way adapted cyclically to connect the passageway insuccession to the suction of the vacuum pump, and to the suction of the gas transfer pump; means for driving the rotary Valve; a rotatable cylindrical auxiliary chamber having a lateral aperture and the open top of which makes fluid-tight joint with the facing of the aperture in the main chamber, a fixed cylindrical casing fitting the external cylindrical surface of the auxiliary chamber and having a lateral opening; means for producing relative angular movement between the auxiliary chamber and the said casing from the angular position on which the lateral aperture in the chamber aligns with the lateral aperture in the casing, to a position in which its said lateral aperture in the auxiliary chamber is closed by the casing; a table axially movable within the auxiliary chamber; means for moving the table between a lower position in which a container inserted through the lateral openings can be located on it, and an upper position in which it moves the container on it into operative relationship with the sealing means.

4. In apparatus for sealing containers in a gas other than atmospheric air, in combination;-a main sealing chamber, the interior of which is continuously cut off from the atmosphere and maintained continuously charged with the said gas said main sealing chamber having a rectangular aperture through Iwhich the containers are introduced and withdrawn; an ante-chamber, the walls of which are formed by two sides, a top and a bottom extending respectively exteriorly from the sides, top and bottom of the said aperture, the inside faces of the said sides of the ante-chamber being of cylindrical configuration and the wall thereof having two oppositely disposed through ports; a drum rotatably mounted in relation to the sealing chamber, with a portion thereof in the sealing chamber and a portion thereof outside the ante-chamber, the cylindrical surfaces of the intermediate portion of the drum making a fluid-tight joint with the inside cylindrical portions of the sides of the antechamber, and the top and bottom of the said intermediate portion making huid-tight joint with the insides of the top and bottom of the antechamber, said drum having formed in it and near its cylindrical periphery `a series of circumferentially spaced open-topped recesses to form auxiliary sealing chambers which, by a step-by-step angular movement imparted to the drum, are moved from a position in which they are open to the atmosphere into .a position in which they are open to the interior of the main sealing chamber; sealing means located in the main sealing chamber; means for driving and operating the sealing means; one of the above mentioned ports in the wall of theante-chamber communicating with each auxiliary chamber in succession after the latter has entered the ante-chamber, before it opens into the main chamber and whilst it is closed by the wall of the ante-chamber; the

I,other port in the wall of the ante-chamber. ,commimicating` with each auxiliary` chamberinl'succession after the latterhas passed through the main chamber and enteredthe other section of the ante-chamber andwhilstlit isl closed bythe Y.

wall of the ante-chamber; a vacuumjpum'p, the

suction side of whichis connected to the first tion side of which is connected vto the second mentioned port, and-the delivery side of which is connected to the main sealing chamber.

5. In apparatus for sealing containers in a gas other than atmospheric air, in combination;- a main sealing chamber, the interior of which is continuously cut off from the atmosphere and maintained continuously charged with thel said gas;sealing means located in' the main sealing chamber; an ante-chamber of cylindrical configuration closed at the top and bottom and having two apertures in its cylindrical portion, the peripheral portion of one opening making joint with the peripheral portion of an opening into the main sealing chamber, and the other oppositely located aperture opening into the atmosphere, said ante-chamber having two oppositely located ports in its wall; a drum rotatably mounted in the ante-chamber, the cylindrical and end surfaces of which make fluid-tight joint with the corresponding surfaces of the ante-chamber, said drum having formed in its cylindrical periphery equally spaced recesses forming auxiliary sealing chambers which by a step-by-step angular movement of the drum` are moved from an initial` position in which they are in alignment with the last mentioned aperture through which an unsealed container is introduced, to a position in which they are closed by the walls of the antechamber, and thence into a position in which they open to the main sealing chamber, thence to a position in which they are closed by the walls of the ante-chamber, and thence to the initial position; one of the above mentioned ports communicating with an auxiliary sealing chamber when the latter has been moved from its initial position to a position in which it is otherwise closed by the walls of the` sealing chamber, the other said port opening into a sealing chamber after the latter has passed the opening intol the main sealing chamber and whilst it is otherwise closed by the wallsof the ante-chamber; a vacuum pump, the suction of which is connected to the rst mentioned port; a gas transfer pump, the delivery side of which is connected to the main sealing chamber, and the suction of which is connected to the second mentioned port.

6. Apparatus forl sealing containers in a gas other than atmospheric air as claimed in claim 5, with an additional and oppositely located like ante-chamber and Arotating drum.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the sealing head is driven by a horizontal driving shaft, the driving meansvpassing in fluid-tight manner out of the main sealing chamber, and in which the operation of the sealing means is effected by a slidable cam-operated member passing in fluid-tight manner through the wall of the sealing chamber, and in which the shutter valve, the auxiliary sealing chamber, and the table'are reciprocated by respective cams located on a vertical cam shaft driven at the appropriate speed by the horizontal driving shaft and geared to the rotary valve.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 2, in which a shutter valve tted to the aperture in the main Ythe rotary valve is a three-Way valve adapted to connecil the passage-Way in the wall of the aperture of the sealing chamber cyclcally in succession to the vacuum pump suction, the gas transfer pump suction and to the atmosphere.

FRANK OSCAR LEVI CHORLTON.

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