US2239385A

US2239385A - Bottle filling machine

Info

Publication number: US2239385A
Application number: US290760A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herman A Harder
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-08-18
Filing date: 1939-08-18
Publication date: 1941-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 1958-04-22

Description

April 22, 1941. H. A. HARDER BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet l g FdS/F 2,/ Mmm/eq f IIIIIIIIIIIIII 'IU E mw www DM, 8 Hmm. AMA Ed e Hmm MF B April 22,

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April 22, 1941.

H. A. HARDER 2,239,385

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 nllllllmlr 'vulllmlv Ummm-wl @mi/eng@ 5577777577 A. Harder Patented Apr. 22, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE Herman A. Harder, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application August 18, 1939, Serial No. 290,760 vis Claims. (C1. 22e- 96) from the bottom of the tank, and individual bottle supporting platforms on which the bottles are positioned to be raised into cooperative relationship with the ports.

Such bottle filling machines are used extensively in dairies for filling milk bottles, and in such installations it is customary to convey the empty bottles to the machine on an endless conveyor, and toconvey the lled bottles in a similar mannerv to a bottle capper from which they travel to a packaging station to be placed in` cases.

Speed is an important factor in equipment of this character, especially in large dairies, and While bottle filling machines heretofore in use have functioned satisfactorily as long as the equipment was` not run at too high a speed, it was found that the means employed for raising the bottles into operative engagement with the the bottle supporting platforms in a bottle iiiini'g machine of the character described wherein the parts are so designed as to obviate the necessity for lubrication, especially at the external parts of the mechanism.

Another object of this invention is to simplify the design of the platform raising and lowering mechanism, and thereby reduce the number of parts required.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, cornbination and arrangement of partssubstantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example` of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with the best mode so far devised for the practical applivalved discharge ports and for lowering the filled i bottles, required so much angular motion that it i cut short the time for filling the bottles, and thus limited the speed at which the machines could be run.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a bottle filling machine having improved means for raising and lowering the bottle supporting platforms by which this function is effected in a shorter period of time so that more ofthe cycle of the filling machine can be devoted to the actual filling of the bottle.

More specically it is an object of this invention to provide a bottle filling machine wherein the bottle supporting platforms are raised and lowered by direct acting mechanism incorporating an actuator having a crank motion asV distinguished from past constructions in which the bottle supporting platforms were raised and lowered by cams and cam followers;

In addition toV the objection of entailing a rather wide rangeof angular motion to' effect raising and lowering of the platforms, these past constructions involving the use of cams and cam cation of the principles thereof, and in' which:

Figure l is a top plan `View of a bottle iilling machine constructed in accordance withv this invention, parts thereof being broken away and in section;

Figure 2 is a front View of that portion of the machine involving the bottle supporting platforms and the means for raising and lowering them;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view through the means for lowering the platforms;

Figure'4 is a View similar to Figure 3, but showing the manner in which this means is rendered inoperative in the event of previous actuation of the platform; and

Figure 5 is a detail view illustrating a slightly modified manner of connecting the bottle supports with their actuating means.

Referring now particularlyto the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates the base of the machine upon which a carrier E is mounted to rotate about a fixed vertical axis. Above this carrier is a tank or container 1 which turns with the carrier and is vertically adjustable to accommodate bottles of different heights. The manner in which the carrier is driven and the support for the tank form no part of this invention, and

therefore, have not been illustrated.

Depending from the bottom of the tank or container are valved discharge ports 8 arranged circumferentially about the lower periphery of the tank and beneath each discharge port andv in line therewith is a bottle supporting platform 9. These bottle supporting platforms are independently vertically movable to raise bottles into operative engagement with the discharge ports 8 during which time the valves of the ports are opened to remain open until the bottle is filled and the platform descends.

Each bottle supporting platform comprises a fiat top Ill upon which the bottle rests and a depending box-like sleeve IIslidable on an upstanding support I2 fixed to the carrier 6. The mechanism for raising and lowering the platforms is of novel design and permits complete raising and lowering with a minimum angular travel of the carrier.

This mechanism comprises an actuator I3 rotatably mounted on the carrier to have a cranklike oscillatory motion, and a. connectingrod I4 connecting the actuator with the sleeve Ill of its platform. The connecting rod I4 is connected to the actuator by means of a pin eccentrically carried by the actuator (see Figure 4). In this manner, a half turn of the actuator raises or lowers the platform, as will be clear from Figure 2.

The motion of the actuator is limited to slightly more than one hundred and eighty degrees by a fixed pin I 5 against which the end of the connecting*I rod at its point of attachment to the actuator abuts when the platform is raised and the engagement of the inner `curved surface of a bendv I6 in the connecting rod with the hub of the actuator, which occurs when the actuator is in the position it occupies when the platform is lowered.

A at spring I1 anchored to a bracket I3 fixed to the upper end portion of the platform sleeve and bearing against the side of the connecting rod serves to yieldingly hold the actuator in either of its limits of movement.

A coiled compression spring I9 encircling the stem of the connecting rod is conned between the undersurface of the bracket I8 and a shoulder on the connecting rod to yieldingly urge the platform upwardly and provide the necessary spring tension for holding the bottle firmly against the gasket of the discharge port. In the lowered positions of the platform the action of this spring I9 is limited by a stop in the form of a crosspin 2| through the upper end of the connecting rod contacting the top of the bracket I8, it being understood that the connecting rod moves freely through a hole in the bracket.

If desired, the stop on the connecting rod,

which takes the thrust of the spring, may be' adjustable to thereby provide adjustment in the effective length of the connecting rod for the purpose of making the height of the platforms adjustable. One manner of obtaining this adjustment is illustrated in Figure 5 wherein the upper end of the connecting rod is longitudinally bored and tapped to receive a stud 2l', the head of Vwhich serves the same purpose as the crosspin 2l.

The series of bottle supporting platforms in effect constitutes an endless conveyor onto which bottles are deposited at a loading station, indicated generally by the numeral 22, and from which they are removed at an unloading station, indicated generally by the numeral 23. These loading and unloading stations are in eiect transfer devices and consist of rotatable star wheels properly timed to move bottles onto and off of the supporting platforms as the machine operates. The star wheels are removable from their driving shafts which are housed in hollow posts 24 xed on the base so that wheels whose pockets are of a size corresponding to the bottles being filled, may be used.

The bottles are presented to the loading station 22 by a conveyor 25 which also receives the filled bottles and carries them to the capping machine (not shown). A guard 26 extending over the conveyor 25 cooperates with the star wheels to effect this transfer at the loading and unloading stations. The guard, like the star wheels, is removable' to compensate for differences in bottle sizes.

The actuators I3 are preferably in the form of gears and their teeth travel in a path to engage a rack 21 mounted on the pillar 24 of the loading station to effect elevation of the platforms, and to mesh with another relatively stationary rack 28 mounted from the pillar or post 24 of the unloading station to effect descent of the platforms.

The rack 21 is attached to its pillar or post in any suitable manner as by a bracket having a flange overlying the lower attaching ange of the pillar to have the securing cap screws pass through it as well as through the flange of the pillar. It is rigid and engages the actuator gears at the underside thereof to impart a counterclockwise rotation to the actuators as they travel past the rack. Y

The rack 28 is mounted in a manner similar to that of the rack 21, but has a hinged support 29 by which it is connected with its supporting bracket 30. This rack is positioned to engage the actuator gears at the top and imparts a clockwise rotation thereto as the actuators pass the rack.

Inasmuch as the `actuators have a definite range of rotation, it of course follows that some means must be provided to render the rack 28 inoperative in the event an actuator gear has already been rotated' to the position it occupies when its platform is lowered. This is sometimes done by the operator to prevent the loss of milk in the event an imperfect bottle reaches the filling machine.

To this end, each actuator gear has a cam 3| which strikes a cam-face 32 on the rack 28 to swing the same on its hinged support against the tension of a spring 33 in the event the actuator gear is in the said position it occupies when its associated platform is lowered.

'Ihe manner in which the coacting cam faces function to prevent meshing engagement between the rack 28 and the actuator gears is clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Inasmuch as the rack 21 is reached by the actuator gears only 'after they have passed the rack 28, no necessity exists for preventing meshing engagement at this point.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent that this invention materially improves the construction of bottle lling machines of the type described, and allows higher operating speeds by allowing a greater range of the operating cycle for the actual filling of the bottles. Only three of the bottle supporting platforms are involved in the raising and lowering function at any one time in the sixteen valve machine illustrated. All of the remaining bottle supporting platforms are in their operative raised positions. Consequently, this invention provides an increase in the filling capacity approximately twenty-four per centi greater than that ff previous similar bottlefillingmachin'es. f Another very important advantage achieved through the present invention 4is that the'bottles valong a definedpath; a bottle supportingplatform movable horizontally with the discharge port and movable vertically to carry a bottle to and from operative engagement'with thev discharge port; a rotatable gear member movable horizontally with the platform; "a link having one end eccentrically connectedto the gear member and its other end connected-with the platform; and stationary racks positionedatopposite sides of the gear member with their toothed surfaces engageable with the teeth of the gear member as the gear member moves horizontally for imparting rotation to the gear member and vertical reciprocal motion to the platform.

2. In a bottle filling machine: a bottle supporting platform; means for moving the platform along a defined path; said platform being vertically movable to carry a bottle to and from filling position; a rotatable wheel member movable with the platform; a connection between said wheel member and the platform, whereby rotation of the wheel member raises and lowers the platform; and a vpair of stationary members mounted one below and the other above'the wheel member, each having surfaces adapted for rolling engagement with the "periphery of the rotatable wheel member asA said wheel member moves with the platform for effecting rotation of the wheel member. '-f

3. In a bottle filling machine; a movable carrier; a plurality of bottle supporting'platform on the carrier to be moved thereby along a defined path, said bottlesupporting platforms being vertically movable to carry bottles to and from filling positions; a wheel member mounted on the carrier adjacent to each of the platforms, each oscillatable about a fixed axis; means connecting each platform with its respective wheel member in a manner whereby oscillation of said Wheel member in one direction raises the platform, and oscillation in the opposite direction lowers the platform; and spaced stationary means cooperable with said wheel members and engageable with the periphery of the wheel members at opposite sides thereof so as to produce a rolling engagement between the stationary means and the wheel members as the wheel members move along with the carrier for effecting oscillation of the wheel members, first in one direction and then in the other direction.

4. In a bottle filling machine: a plurality of bottle supporting platforms; means for advancing the platforms recurrently along a defined path; means for raising and lowering the bottle supporting platforms to carry bottles to and from filling positions, said means comprising, a wheel member for each platform traveling with the platforms; means connecting each platform with its wheel member so that rotation of the Wheel member in one 'direction raises the` p1atform,'and rotation of vthe wheel vmember in the opposite direction lowers the platform; and spaced stationary driving means cooperable with the wheel 'members to effect a rolling engagement therebetween to rotate each wheel member first in `one direction and `then inthe other direction yas the wheel memlbers move therepas't.

5. In a 'bottle filling machine having a `carrier rotatable about" a vertical axis and having a plurality of `valved ports rotatable with the carrier: abottle supporting platform mounted on the carrier beneath each port; said platforms being vertically movable to raise bottles into operative engagement with'the ports, and to lower the same after being filled; means for automatically raising and lowering the platforms comprising, a toothed wheel member for each -platform rotatably mounted on the carrier; means connecting each platform with its respec- -tive toothed wheel member in a manner whereby rotation of the wheel member in one direction raises'the platform, and rotation thereof in the opposite direction lowers the platform; and

`spaced stationary racks positioned with their teeth to be engaged by the teeth of the rotatable toothed wheel members as they are moved along by the carrier, one of said stationary racks being engalgeable with the rotatable toothed Wheel members at one side of their axes of rotation, andthe other stationary rack being engageable with the rotatable toothed wheel members at the opposite sides of their axes of rotation to effect rotation of said wheel members first in one direction and then in the other direction.

`6. In a bottle filling machine of the character described: `a bottle supporting platform; means for moving said platform along a defined path; said platform being mountedv to be raised and lowered as it moves along said path; a rotatable gear movable along with the platform; a connection between said gear and the platform whereby rotation of the gear in one direction raises the platform, and rotation thereof in the opposite direction lowers the platform; a stationary rack normally in position to have the gear mesh therewith as it moves along to impart rotation to the gear in one direction; and means for moving said rack out ofthe path of the gear in the event said gear has already been rotated to the position impartedthereto by coaction with the rack.

7. In a device of the character described: a gear mounted to rotate on its axis; means for carrying the gear along a defined path; means for restraining rotation of the gear to a range between predetermined limits; a stationary rack normally in the path of the gear to mesh therewith and rotate the gear to one of its limits as the gear moves along its defined path; and means for moving the rack out of the path of the gear in the event said gear has been rotated to said limit prior to reaching the rack.

8. In a device of the character described: a

rotatable gear movable along a defined path; means for limiting rotation of the gear to a range between two extremes; a relatively stationary rack; a movable support for the relatively stationary rack normally positioning the rack in the path of the gear to be engaged thereby as the gear advances along its path, to thereby effect rotation of the gear from one of its limits of rotation to the other; and cooperating means on the gear and the rack operable to move the rack out of the path of the gearin the event .'said gear has been rotated from its -rst `mentioned limit of rotation 'prior to reaching the rack. f

9. `In a device of the character described: a rotatable gear movable along a defined path; means for limiting rotation of the gear to a range between two extremes; a relatively stationary rack; a movable support for the relatively stationary rack normally positioning the rack in the path of the gear to be engaged thereby as the gear advances along its path, to thereby eiect rotation of the gear from one of its limits of rotation to the other; and cooperating means on the rack and the gear engageable to move the rack out of the path of the gear in the event said gear has been rotated to its second mentioned position prior to reaching the rack.

10. In a device of the character described: a rotatable gear movable along a defined path; a relatively stationary rack; a hinged support for the rack; a spring yieldingly holding the rack in a position at which its teeth are aligned with the teeth of the gear moving along its defined path so that normally passage of the gear past the rack eiects a predetermined rotation of the gear; and means on the gear engageable With a part of the rack to swing the rack to a position at which its teeth are out of line with the teeth of the gear in the event the gear has been rotated previously to its reaching the rack vto substantially the position to which it is moved by coaction with the rack.

11. In a device of the character described: a series of article supporting platforms movable along a dened path and each mounted to move vertically to raise and lower articles positioned thereon; a wheellike actuating member connected with each platform to move therewith, said actuating members being mounted to rotate with a crank motion; a link connecting each actuating member with its platform and so disposed with relation to the crank motion of the actuating member as to be held in its `raised -position by the actuating member moving slightly beyond center; and spaced stationary elements mounted in the path of the actuating members to have rolling engagement with the periphery of each actuating member at opposite sides thereof as said actuating members move along their dened path, whereby said actuating members are turned from one position to another to raise and lower their platforms.

12. In combination: a movable carrier; an upright support on said carrier; an article supporting platform guided for vertical motion on said yupright support; a Wheellike actuating member mounted near the bottom of the upright support and rotatable with a crank motion; a link connecting the actuating member with the platform, whereby rotation of the actuating member raises and lowers the platform; means for defining the limits of rotation for the actuating member so that the platform is held in a raised or lowered position; stationary means in the path of the actuating member adapted to have rolling engagement with the periphery of the actuating member at one side thereof for turning the actuating member in one direction to cause one motion of the platform; and other stationary means mounted in the path of the actuating member to have rolling contact with the periphery of the actuating member at the other side thereof to cause an opposite rotation of the actuating member to move the platform in the opposite direction.

13. In a bottle iilling machine: a movable carrier; an upright support on the carrier; a bottle supporting platform slidably mounted on the upright support for vertical motion to carry a bottle thereon to and from a raised filling position; a wheellike actuator mounted on the carrier adjacent to the upright support and having a rotary crank-like motion; a link connecting the platform with the actuator so that rotation of the actuator raises and lowers the platform; means mounted to have successive rolling engagement with the periphery of the actuator at opposite sides of its axis of rotation for imparting cranklike rotation to the actuator as it moves with the carrier to cause elevation and descent of the platform; a spring interposed between the link and the platform at all times yieldingly urging the platform upwardly; means defining the limits of rotation of the actuator; and a spring operable to yieldingly hold the actuator at either of its limits of rotation.

HRMAN A. HARDER.