US2234585A - Filling machine - Google Patents

Description

March 11, 1941. p w sg 2,234,585

FILLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2'7, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Egdzfmpddl WQL WLLSom 9 ATTORNEY March 11, 1941- E. P. WILSON 34,585

FILLING mcnmm 7 Filed Dec. 27, 1939 4 sneaks-sheet, 2

INVENTOR EcE/ZuJPdJLmL WLLSaOTL/ I A QRNEY March 11, 1941. E. P. WILSON 2,234,585

" FILLING momma Filed Dec. 27, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet s \NVENTOR Edward, PcLvaL WLLsom March 11, 1941. E. WILSON FILLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 27, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 J&

INVENTOR Edward 6 cLvuL Wilson] BY ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED "S TATES RQPATENIT OFFICE FILLING MAGHIN E Edward-Percival Wilson London, England, assignor to Lancashire Dynamo .& Crypto Limited,

London, England Application December 27, 1939, Serial No." 311,101 In Great- Britainv January. 19, 1939 7 Claims.

This invention relates to'filling machines and more especially to machines for filling sausages, and has for an object to provide an improved machine of simple and efficient construction which may be driven by hand or by motor and which is much less cumbersome than the usual filling machines and which can be rapidly and effectively cleaned after use.

'The'filling machine of the invention comprises 'a cylindrical container for the filling material in-Which is mounted a central shaft fitted with a vane adapted to sweep the cylinder from one face toanother of a second vane of Wedge or segmental form secured within the container and extending from end to end thereof and to- -wards the central shaft; this second vane being provided with a port in its face leading to a discharge outlet disposed externally of the container. To thedischarge outlet is attached the usual filler tube receiving the article to be filled. The

shaft is driven through worm reduction-gearing having a high ratio by a handle or a motor.

"To avoid the necessity for returning the vane to the starting point each time the container is discharged in order to commencea new filling operation, the fixed vane may-be provided with ports on each face and a hollow sleeve with a single port may-be rotatably mounted within the wane the sleeve being rotated after each discharge operation through to bring the port inthe sleeve into register with the port on the opposite face of the fixed vane so that the container can be filled again'and return movement ofthe Vane made use of to discharge such filling material.

In order to protect thegearing, particularly where an electric motor drive is used, a clutch may be provided which is adapted to slip, say when the movable vane on its movement has contactedwith the surface of the fixed vane.

Two embodiments of a sausage filling machine constructed in accordance with the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying .drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a cross-section through the container of a machine in accordance with a first embodiment, while Fig. 2 is a horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of aimachineconstructed in accordance with a secondan'd preferredembodiment of the invention. Fig. 4 is a plan view. thereof; Fig. 5 a'horizontal section showing the driving :mechanism; 'Fig. 6

.-'is .a horizontal section through :the container; while Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section through rthe complete machine.

' Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 "of the drawings,

cover plate'l -isclamped-in place.

. atdischarge .outlet- 'Iyin a screw threadedextensionfB :located: externally of the container ,I. To

' the extension 8 .is attached by. means of a'nutgil '-the,;usu'al ,filler tube 1 I0 receiving the sausage casing to be filled. rThe container I is closed at the bottom by;a' hollow :pedestal- Il -forming a ear .box'within which is mounted aworm I2 which meshes with a worm wheel I3.mounted on the'shaft 2, vthe'worm and worm wheel constitut- .:ingga, reduction. gearing which is-adapted; to be driven 'by'means ofa handle or amotor (not shown), the handle or power-transmission coupling-fitting on thesquared end I 30. of; the shaft of the worm I2. The cover plate of the container I,;and the pedestal are secured" together by bolts (not shown).

In'use of theapparatus sausage meat is filled intov the container I-on one side of the .movable vane '3which is movedby rotation, of the shaft into contact with one side'of'the vane5 and-the The shaft 2 is then rotated. -As the vane*3 moveswith-the shaft 2 the sausage'meat inserted between it and the other surface of .the fixed vane-5 isforced through the port 5 in the-latter and through the filler tube I0. -By virtue-of the segmental-form of the fixed vane 5 with its radially disposed sur- "faces; thersausage meat 'is entirely discharged from the container I. --Anyair between the movbetween the movable-vane 3rand the inner surface of-the container I.

After the contents of the-container I have been discharged the vane-3 is'returnedtoits starting point beforerthecontainer is refilled.

The*necessity for returning the.vane 3- to its original position is obviated in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 3 to '7. Referring now to Figs. 1

3 to 7,- I- denotes the containersecured by bolts I4 toavpedestal II incorporating a gear box. Ondiametrically opposite sides of the container IFand rotatably--mounted in brackets 15 cast thereon; are two curved arms-I Bwhich are tapped to receive square-threaded clamping screws ll. These clamps I! serve to hold down the coverplate 4' and can be released and swung to one side, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3 to allow cover-plate 4 to be lifted off. The cover-plate 4 is spigotted to fit the container l' and has two laterally projecting portions 4a constituting hand-grips to facilitate removal of the cover-plate 4' from the container I. The vertical rotatable shaft 2 extends through a bearing provided in the upper surface of the pedestal I I and is provided with a bearing surface at the other end in the cover-plate 4. The shaft 2' is slotted at l8 to receive the flat vane 3 which is secured firmly to shaft 2' by means of rivets l9.

The fixed vane 5' of wedge or segmental form is shaped to fit closely the inner circumference of the container I, the shaft 2 and, on its flat top face 5a and its bottom face 517, the coverplate 4' and the pedestal surface II respectively. The vane 5' is held in position by means of two opposing positioning pins 20, one projecting through the cover-plate 4' and the other projecting through the upper surface of the pedestal ll. These pins 20 are disposed oifsetso as to prevent twisting of the vane 5. The vane 5 is further secured by means of a rotatable and withdrawable sleeve 8a positioned within a boss 2| on the exterior of the container I. This sleeve 8a is screwed to receive the usual clamping nut 9' for holding the filler tube III in position. The sleeve 8a is provided with two diametrically-disposed holes 22 for the reception of the end of a plunger 23 slidably mounted in the boss 2|. The movement of plunger 23 is restricted by means of a grubscrew 24 the point of which engages in a slot in the plunger 23.

The vane 5' is provided with a slot 25 adapted to register with a co-incident aperture 26 in the sleeve 8a.

The machine can be operated manually or driven by power. A preferred form of hand operated gear shown in the drawings operates as follows. a

A shaft 21 carrying the'worm I2 is mounted in bearings in pedestal H and is provided with a squared end 28 to receive a crank handle (not shown). End thrust is taken up by a double thrust washer 29. A worm wheel I3 is keyed to shaft 2', this shaft being further supported by a cover-plate 30 and top plate 4. A plug 3| is provided for the admission of lubrication oil to the gearbox. Rotation of the worm l2 in one direction will lift oil from the gearbox and deposit it in the cone-shaped top of worm wheel l3 from which the oil may pass through the channel 33 to the bearing of shaft 2.

The bottom of the container l' constituted by the top of the pedestal I I is raised or stepped as at 32 to reduce the possibility of water working down the shaft 2' into the driving mechanism. To reverse the machine it is simply necessary to turn the crank handle in the opposite direction.

An arrow 34 is marked on the top of shaft 2', in-line with vane 3' and two .arrows 35 are marked on the cover-plate 4' to indicate the two extreme positions of vane 3. The position of arrow 34 in relation to the arrows 35 will provide the operator with an indication of the amount of meat left in the container l'.

' The cycle of operations is as follows:

The rotatable vane 3 is rotated by rotation of the worm shaft 21 until it lies fiat against fixed vane 5' in position 3a shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. The container I is filled with sausage meat and the cover-plate 4' placed in position and held down by clamps [1. The vane 3' is then rotated and meat is forced through the slot 25 in vane 5, through the aperture 26 in sleeve 8a and out of the filler tube It. When the container I is empty, the plate 4' is removed and the machine re-filled. The plunger 23 is withdrawn from one of the holes 22 and the sleeve 8a rotated by means of the nut 9', thus bringing the aperture 26 opposite the other side of the slot 25 in vane 5'. The sleeve 8a is then locked in this position by replacing the plunger 23 in the other hole 22. The operator can then proceed to wind the vane 3 in the reverse direction, the meat being forced out as previously described.

To clean the machine, cover-plate 4' and sleeve 8a are removed and vane 5' lifted out. These parts can be separately washed and the container I' washed out, any dirty water escaping from a slot 36 which is uncovered, when vane 5' is removed.

I claim:

1. A filling machine comprising a cylindrical container for the filling'material, a stationary vane of wedge form secured within said container and having a port on at least one of its faces, a shaft mounted for oscillation within said container, a vane mounted on said shaft and adapted to sweep said container from one face to another of said stationary vane and to push the filling material through said port and a filling nozzle disposed externally of the container in. communication with said port for receiving the contents of the container.

2. A filling machine comprising a cylindrical container for the filling material, a stationary vane of wedge form secured within said container and having ports on opposite wedge faces communicating with a common outlet passage, -a shaft mounted for oscillation within said container, a vane mounted on said shaft and adapted to sweep said container from one face to another of said stationary vane and to push the filling material through one of such ports and a filling nozzle disposed externally of the container and connected to said outlet passage for receiving the contents of the container.

3. A filling machine comprising a cylindrical container for the filling material, a shaft centrally mounted for oscillation within said container, a vane mounted to oscillate with said shaft and adapted to sweep said cylindrical container in its oscillation, a stationary vane of segmental form secured within said container and extending to adjacent the periphery of said shaft, said stationary vane presenting abutment faces to the oscillating vane and having a port in at least one of its abutment faces communicating with the exterior of the container, and an outlet fitting disposed externally of the container and in communication with said port for receiving the contents of the container.

4. A filling machine comprising a cylindrical container for the filling material, a shaft centrally mounted for oscillation within said container, avane mounted to oscillate with said shaft and adapted to sweep said container in its oscillation, a stationary vane of segmental form secured within said container and extending to adjacent the periphery of said shaft, said stationary vane presenting abutment faces to the oscillating vane and having ports in its abutment faces communicating with the exterior of the container, and an outlet fitting disposed externally of the container and adapted to be brought in register with one of said ports to permit the contents of the container to be discharged.

5. A sausage or like filling machine comprising a cylindrical container for the fillingmaterialIa shaft centrally mounted for oscillation within said container, a vane mounted to oscillate with said shaft and adapted to sweep said; container in its oscillation, a stationary vane of segmental form secured within said container and extending to adjacent the periphery of said shaft, said stationary vane presenting abutment faces to the oscillating vane and having ports in its abutment faces and an adjustably mounted sleeve extending externally of the container and having a port adapted to be brought in register with one of said first mentioned ports to permit the contents of the container to be discharged.

6. A filling machine com-prising a cylindrical container for the filling material having a base and a cover, a shaft centrally mounted for oscillation within said container and having a bearing in said cover, a vane mounted to oscillate with said shaft and adapted to sweep said container in its oscillation, a stationary vane of segmental form extending to adjacent the periphery of said shaft and secured within said container by pins extending from said cover and said base, said pins being oifset in relation to one another, said stationary vane presenting abutment faces to the oscillating vane and having ports in its abutment faces communicating with the exterior ofthe container, a rotatably mounted sleeve extending externally of the container and adapted to be brought into register with one of said ports to permit the contents of the container to be discharged. and means for locking said sleeves with its port in register with either of the ports in the stationary vane.

'7. A filling machine comprising a cylindrical container for the filling material having a base having a central raised portion and formed by, a pedestal and a cover, a shaft centrally mounted for oscillation within said container having a bearing in said cover and extending through said base, gearing mounted in said pedestal for oscillating said shaft, a vane mounted to oscillate with said shaft and adapted to sweep said container in its oscillation, a stationary vane of segmental form; extending to adjacent the periphery of said shaft and secured within said container by pins extending from said cover and said base, said pins being offset in relation to one another, said stationary vane presenting abutment faces tothe oscillating vane and having ports in its abutment faces communicating with the exterior of the container, a rotatably mounted sleeve extending externally of the container and adapted to be brought into register with one of said ports to permit the contents of the container to be discharged and means for locking said sleeve with its port'in register with either of the ports in the stationary vane. ,7

EDWARD PERCIVAL WILSON.

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