US2423358A

US2423358A - Method of packaging granular materials

Info

Publication number: US2423358A
Application number: US555187A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jack M Wheaton; Hohl John
Original assignee: Owens Illinois Glass Co
Current assignee: OI Glass Inc
Priority date: 1944-09-21
Filing date: 1944-09-21
Publication date: 1947-07-01
Anticipated expiration: 1964-07-01

Description

y 1947- J. M. WHEATON HAL 2,423,358

METHOD OF PACKAGING GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed Sept. 21, 194A zZMWHEAroH Worm mm aienteci July 1, 1a

METHOD F PACKAGING GRANULAR MATERIALS a 7 Jack M. Wheaton and John Hohl, Toledo, Ohio, assignors to Owens-IllinoisGlass Company, a

corporation of Ohio Application September 21-, 1944, Serial No. 555,187

' 6 Claims.

Our invention relates to a method of packaging granular or powdered material by placing the material in containers, then vacuumizing the containers with the material therein, and sealing the containers under the partial vacuum. The invention is herein described and illustrated as used in packing ground coffee in Jars which are then vacuumized and sealed. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to this particular use. but is adapted for packaging other materials.

In packing coffee in jars, it is customary to introduce a measured quantity of the powdered or granulated material into the jar, enclose the upper end of the jar in a vacuum chamber, with a closure device or cap loosely positioned over the mouth of the jar, and then vacuumize said chamber, thereby withdrawing air from the jar. This operation causes considerable disturbance within the comminuted material, particularly the upper layers thereof, causing some of the material to be withdrawn from the jar. This results in loss of material and clogging of the vacuum lines.

An object of our invention is to provide a simple and practical method of overcoming this objec- Lion. 1

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a part-sectional elevation of a jar and a filling spout thereover. a portion of the jar being broken away to-show' the material therein.

Fig. 2 is a similar view in which a plunger has replaced the filling spout.

Fig. 3 is a similar view in which the plunger has been removed and replaced by a vacuum chamber, chuck. and jar cap.

Fig. is a view showing the cap moved down to sealing position on the jar.

In packaging ground coffee or other granulated, powdered or comminuted material in accordance with the present invention, a measured quantity of the material I0 is introduced into a container H through a spout l2. The container is herein shown as a glass jar. Following the introduction of the material into the jar, the latter is brought beneath a plunger l3 which is then moved downward through the open mouth 14 of the jar, into contact with the granular material. The plunger is preferably formed with a convex or tapered end or tip 15 which as shown is conical in form with the lower end rounded.

When the plunger is lowered, the granular material i0 is molded thereby to a certain extent, particularly the upper layers or portions immechamber I] (Fig. 3).

2, diately adjacent to the plunger, so that when the plunger is withdrawn, a corresponding depression I6 (Fig. 3) is left in the material. The pressure applied by the plunger packs the material together sufficiently to cause it to retain this form when the plunger is withdrawn.

The next step in the process consists in enclosing the upper end of the jar in a vacuum The latter is substantially in the form of a circular drum open at its lower side and of a size to fit over the jar, An annular gasket l8 of rubber or the like, attached to the lower rim of the drum, seats on the shoulder I9 of the jar to make a seal. Within the drum is a magnetic chuck 20 on the lower end of a stem 2| which extends through an opening 22 in the drum and has a close sliding fit therein. A closure device or cap 23 carried by the chuck is held over the mouth of the jar and a slight distance therea-bove, thus providing an annular space 24 through which air is withdrawn from the jar.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, air is withdrawn from the chamber I1 through a suction pipe 25, thereby vacuumizing the jar and its contents. We have discovered that by making a depression IS in the mass of comminuted material, the usual disturbance of the material, produced by the vacuumizlng process is substantially prevented so that little or none of the contents is drawn from the jaw. The compacting of the surface layers 26 of the material by the pressure applied thereto by the plunger, materially assists in stabilizing the ma terial and preventing the, small particles from being lifted and drawn off into the vacuum chamber.

After the Jar and its contents have been vacuumized, the plunger rod ii is moved downward so that the chuck 20 forces the cap downward into position on the jar, so that the rubber gasket or liner in the cap forms a hermetic seal between the jar and cap.

Modifications may be resorted to'within the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

1, The method which consists in placing a measured quantity of granular material in a' container having a filling opening, slightly compressing the material by a pressure applied at and distributed over the major portion of the top surface of the mass of material and simultaneously producing a depression in the top surface of the mass, supporting a closure in spaced relationship to and above the filling opening, exhausting the air from the container through the vacuumizing the container and its contents, and

then sealing the vacuumized container.

3. The method which comprises introducing a measured quantity of granular material into an upright, open-mouthed container, applying downward pressure to substanially the entire upper surface of the mass of said material and thereby molding a depression in said surface and compacting a surface layer of the material to a greaterdensitythan that of the body of material beneath'said layer, thereafter applyingsuction through the. mouth of the container and producing a partial vacuum therein, and sealing.

the vacuumized container.

4. The method which comprises introducing a measured quantity of granular material in'an upright, open-mouthed container, applying downward pressure to approximately the entire upper surface of the mass of said material and thereby molding a depression in said surface and compacting and stabilizing a surface layer of the material while the body of material beneath said layer remains comparatively loose and open, supporting a closure cap over the mouth of the container and in close proximity thereto, applying suction to the interior of the container through a restricted passageway between the closure cap and container, and thereafter moving the cap to sealing position onthe container.

5. The method which comprises introducing a measured quantity of granular or comminuted 4 material into an upright, open-mouthed tar and approximately filling the jar, moving a shaping and compressing element having a convex shap ing surface approximately the same dimensions laterally as the mouth of the Jar, downward through the open mouth of the jar and causing it to compress-asurface layer of vthe material to agreater density than the body of material there-= beneath and thereby form a concave surface layer .of comparatively" compact and stable material overlying a body of the material in a compara- .tively' loose, opencondition, withdrawing said element, positioning a closure cap over and spaced from the mouth of the jar, exhausting air from the jar through the space between the cap and the mouth-of the jar, and moving the cap to I sealing positionon the jar.

6. The method which comprises substantially filling an open-mouthed container with a com pressible granular material, compacting the top surface :layer of the. material by downward pres sure through the mouth of. the container of a molding element-having a-convex molding surface and thereby simultaneously-molding the said top surface to aconcave shape, applying suction through the mouth of the container while a closure cap is .in non-sealing. position thereover, and thereafter'moving the closure cap to sealing position on the container before the suction is discontinued. U 4

.JAC'K- M. WWAWN;

JOHN HoHL; w I

REFERENCES CITED The following references arejo f recordin the file of this patent: I

' UNITED sTATEsrArENTs Number Name Date I 2,149,790 Roesch "-ltiiar, 19%