US2546418A - Siruping machine and method for siruping filled containers - Google Patents

Siruping machine and method for siruping filled containers Download PDF

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Publication number
US2546418A
US2546418A US689864A US68986446A US2546418A US 2546418 A US2546418 A US 2546418A US 689864 A US689864 A US 689864A US 68986446 A US68986446 A US 68986446A US 2546418 A US2546418 A US 2546418A
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United States
Prior art keywords
valve
tank
vacuum
containers
container
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Expired - Lifetime
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US689864A
Inventor
Gerald L Ardron
Merton L Dodge
Charles J Chebuhar
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Continental Can Co Inc
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Continental Can Co Inc
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    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67CCLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22Details
    • B67C3/26Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67CCLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/16Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus using suction
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67CCLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22Details
    • B67C3/24Devices for supporting or handling bottles
    • B67C3/246Bottle lifting devices actuated by cams
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67CCLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C7/00Concurrent cleaning, filling, and closing of bottles; Processes or devices for at least two of these operations
    • B67C7/0006Conveying; Synchronising
    • B67C7/004Conveying; Synchronising the containers travelling along a circular path
    • B67C7/0046Infeed and outfeed devices
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67CCLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22Details
    • B67C3/26Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks
    • B67C2003/2668Means for adapting the filling head to various sizes of containers
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67CCLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C7/00Concurrent cleaning, filling, and closing of bottles; Processes or devices for at least two of these operations
    • B67C7/0006Conveying; Synchronising
    • B67C2007/006Devices particularly adapted for container filling
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/2931Diverse fluid containing pressure systems
    • Y10T137/3003Fluid separating traps or vents
    • Y10T137/3021Discriminating outlet for liquid
    • Y10T137/3028With non-discriminating gas vent or liquid discharge
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/2931Diverse fluid containing pressure systems
    • Y10T137/3109Liquid filling by evacuating container
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/7287Liquid level responsive or maintaining systems
    • Y10T137/7358By float controlled valve
    • Y10T137/7368Servo relay operation of control
    • Y10T137/7371Fluid pressure
    • Y10T137/7374Flexible diaphragm valve

Definitions

  • the invention relates generally to liquid filling machines primarily seeks to provide a novel machine structure capable of rapidly and ac curately filling liquid into containes in a manner assuring the provision of predetermined, uniform head spaces therein.
  • the invention also embraces a novel method of iilline containers in ianner lfor assuring the provision of predend, uniform head spaces there*m mon the objects oi the inventio" is that of providing a novel method of the character stated involving the filling cr syruning of the containers by drawing a high vacuum in the container and contents with a, displacer member of predetermined effective volumetric capacity inserted therein, shutting ofi the *.V'acuuni and then flowing the syrup or other liquid into the evacuated container, then continuing the supply of syrup cr other liquid and drav-Jing off residual air and surplus liquid through a restricted port for completely filling the container eace'ot ror the displacement of the displacer men her, then shutting,f oir the
  • Another object of the invention is to provide an improved machine structure of the character stated in which there are included displacer head means effective to temporariiy close containers and determine the head snace to provided therein, means ici' rai 'diy evacuating the temporarily closed containers, means for discontinuing said container evacuation, including a reservoir onen to atmosphere for directing the syrup or other liquid by atenasm pheric air pressure augmented gravity flow into included nier .A for varying the duration of the ir. evacu n of 'the containers and also the auxiliary evacuation of opening of the containtiming of tnei'ill, the the containers, and the to atmosphere.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a machine structure of the character-stated in which there are included a continuously rotating tr et structure havinU a plurality of equidistantiy aced vertically recinrocahle container supporting pads thereon, a reservoir tank ro-m tatable with and about the axis of the turret and having nier units thereon disposed one over each said pad and each comprising.T a displacer against which the containers are sealed oy lifting: of the pads and a shift-able valve for oontroliing the drawing of the vacuum in the containers, the fion-'ing ci liquid thereinto and the openinfr of said containers to atmosphere, means or actuating the valve nieans as the 'turret and tank are rotating, means for feeding containers onto the pads to be lled thereon, and means for feeding containers from the pads and out of the machine after they have been lled.
  • Another object oi the invention is to provide a machine structure or the character stated in which the reservoir tank and the filler units thereon are vertically adjustable with respect to the container supporting pads so that othine can be adjusted for filling containers of erent heights.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in Which the valve means and the valve actuating means coniprises a rotatably mounted valve disk in each filler unit, a star wheel attached to each valve disk, means for engaging and indexing each star wheel as the turret and tank are rotated for moving the valve disks to their several control positions, and means for preventing indexing of any valve disk that overlies a devoid of a container during the whole of any given turret rotation during Which said pad remains empty.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a f...
  • valve disk indexing star wheels each includes a nger disposed at an individual level and engageable with a roller for indexing the respective valve disk to the high vacuum drawing position, and three fingers disposed at a common but different level and being successively engageable with rollers for indexing the respective valve disk first to a position for shutting oif the high vacuum and commencing the iiow of liquid into the Vacuumized container, hen to a position for continuing the iiow of liquid and initiating the auxiliary vacuumization effective to draw oi residual air and surplus liquid ll, and then to a position for shutting off the liquid ilow and the auxiliary drawing of vacuum and for opening the container to atmosphere, said first mentioned roller being shiftabl;y mounted, and there being included means for displacing the shiftable roller from the path movement of a particular one of the in dividual level fingers whenever there is no container supported on the pad underlying the nller unit of which said particular finger forms a part.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide in a machine of the character stated a trap tank through which the vacuum is drawn and into which surplus fill drawn oi from the containers is received.
  • Another object of he invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which the trap tank and the open reservoir tank normally are isolated one from the other, and in which there is included means for opening communication between said tanks to permit the latter to drain into the former.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which there are included the beforementioned trap tank and a drain tank and novel means for transferring liquid from the trap tank into the drain tank without opening the trap tank to atmosphere.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for maintaining a predetermined working level of liquid in the reservoir tank, and means for preventing the feeding of containers into the machine if said tank does not have a proper supply of liquid therein.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide novel liquid level controlling means of the character stated including a vacuum source, and means for preventing the feeding of containers into the machine upon failure of said vacuum source.
  • FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view illustrating a syruping machine structure embodying the invention.
  • Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Figure 1, parts being broken away and in section, the parallel guides for guiding the infeeding cans toward the timing screw being omitted for purposes of clarity.
  • Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectio-n taken on the line 3 3 on Figure 1. f
  • Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross section taken on the line -d on Figure 1.
  • Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross section taken on the line 5-5 on Figure l.
  • Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical cross section Cil taken on the line 6--5 on Figure 1 and illustrating the no container-no fill control.
  • Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional view taken through one of the filler head units, the valve being shown in the number one position in which the syrup feed porting, the main vacuum porting and the auxiliary vacuum porting are closed, and the porting effective to open the container to atmosphere is open.
  • Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8 8 on Figure '7.
  • Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 7, the whole of the filler head unit being shown, and the valve being illustrated in the number two position in which the syrup feed porting is closed, the main vacuum porting is open, and the auxiliary vacuum porting and the porting effective to open the container to atmosphere are closed.
  • Figure 10 is a horizontal section taken on the line lll-I on Figure 9.
  • Figure 11 is a View similar to Figure 9, the valve being shown in the number three position in which the syrup feed porting is open, and the main vacuum porting, the auxiliary vacuum porting and the porting effective to open the container to atmosphere are closed.
  • Figure l2 is a horizontal section taken on the line i2-l2 on Figure 11.
  • Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 9, the valve being shown in the number four position in which the syrup feed porting is open, the main vacuum porting is closed, the auxiliary vacuum porting is open, and the porting effective to Open the container to atmosphere is closed.
  • Figure la is a horizontal section taken on the line ift-I4 on Figure 13.
  • Figure 15 is a face View of one of the stationary valve heads.
  • Figure 16 is a plan View of the valve head shown in Figure 15.
  • Figure 17 is a plan view of one of the displacer port disks.
  • Figure 18 is an edge view of the disk shown in Figure 17.
  • Figure 19 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line Iii-I9 on Figure 1.
  • Figure 20 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View taken through the trap tank and drain valve.
  • Figure 2l is an enlarged vertical cross Sectional View illustrating a non-operating position of the means for controlling the introduction of liquid into the reservoir tank, the container feed stop gate also being diagrammatically illustrated.
  • Figure 22 is a plan View of the parts shown in Figure 21.
  • Figure 23 is an inverted fragmentary plan view illustrating the control valve snap action.
  • Figure 24 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional view showing the vacuum control valve shifted by elevation of the float in the reservoir tank
  • Figure 25 is a fragmentary vertical section-al View illustrating one of the valve actuator ring supporting standards.
  • the containers are fed into the machine by an infeeding means generally designated A, and onto individual vertical reciprocable container supporting pads arranged in equidistantly spaced relation about the periphery of a continuously rotated turret structure generally designated B. While moving about on the turret, the containers are filled with the syrup or other liquid which flows by gravity from the reservoir tank structure generally designated C into the containers, greatly accelerated by low pressure within the containers, said containers being supported by the turret pads and lifted by said pads into sealing contact with the filler units D.
  • the ller head units include control valve structures, land valve actuating devices are operated so as to effect the syruping or iilling of the containers in four stages as follows: First, a high vacuum is drawn in the container for withdrawing air from the interstices in and between the components of the fill therein, and then the vacuum is cut off. After the vacuum has been cut off, syrup or other liquid is allowed to flow by gravity into the vacuumized container from the reservoir tank, said flow being greatly accelerated due to the low pressure in the evacuated container.
  • the flow of the syrup or other liquid into the vacuumized container continues until the pressure of the residual air in the container prevents further flow, and then the auxiliary vacuum porting opens to effect a drawing off of the residual air while continuing the supply of the syrup or other liquid to the container for completely filling said container to the extent permitted by the displacer pad forming a part of the filler head.
  • surplus liquid is drawn off into a trap tank.
  • the auxiliary vacuum porting is closed and the porting effective to perrnit entry of air at atmospheric pressure is opened, and then the turret pad which has been effective to hold the container against the filler head is lowered.
  • the trap tank is generally designated E.
  • a proper working level of he syrup or other liquid is maintained in the reservoir tank C by' a Vacuum and neat controlled supply means generally designated G, and a swingably mounted gate is associated with the container infeeding means A and is effective whenever the supply of syrup or other liquid in the reservoir tank C is exhausted or dangerously low to stop the feeding of containers into the machine.
  • the feed stopping rneans is generally designated H.
  • Turret structure and support The turret structure and the support therefor is best illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 3 of the drawings.
  • a frame base 5 upon which is secured an upstanding, hollow center
  • the colurnn 6 is surrounded by a turret sleeve 'i which is rotatable about lower bearings t and upper bearings 9.
  • the sleeve 1 is externally threaded as at i and provided with a vertical key-way il for a purpose to be described hereinafter.
  • the turret tahle i2 is secured to a flange projecting outwardly from the sleeve 7, and a ring gear i3 is secured to said table in the manner best illustrated in Figure 3.
  • the table i2 is provided with a plurality of equidistantly spaced upright guides I4 which extend upwardly and downwardly through the sloping ring portion I5 of said table. It will be apparent by reference to Figure 3 that the downwardly turned peripheral edge portion of the table ring portion i5 rotatably embraces .a peripheral wall it projecting upwardly from the frame base 5.
  • a plunger il is vertically reciprocable in each guide i4, and 'each said plungei1 carries a container supporting pad i3 at its upper end.
  • the lower end of each plunger is bifurcated and equipped with a radially disposed cross pin I9 on which is mounted a pad lifting roller 2E?, and a pad lowering roller 2i.
  • Each plunger also is equipped with a key projection 22 which is slidable in an upright guide groove 23 provided in the tabley ring i2 in a manner for maintaining the proper position of the pads as the turret is rotated about the center column or standard 5.
  • rollers 2&3 ride upon a cam 24 which is secured as at 25 upon the frame base 5, and the rollers 2
  • Turret drive The means for imparting rotation to the turret structure is oest illustrated in Figures 2- and 3 of the drawings.
  • a driver shaft 28 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 2G provided in a plate removably secured on the frame base, .and rotation is iinparted to said shaft through a flexible coupling 36' by a shaft 3i.
  • serves to represent any suitable. power input source, and it may constitute a projection from the cover clinching machine associated ⁇ with the vacuumizing and closing machine to which the syruping machine feeds the container treated therein, or said shaft may be a part of the vacuuniizing and closing machine itself.
  • the shaft 23 has a driver disk 33 keyed thereon, and said disk serves to drive the disk 33 through an overload release means of a type well known in the art.
  • the disk 33 projects from a sleeve which is free on the shaft 28, and a clutch head 35 is splined on said sleeve and shiftable therealong by engagement therewith of the forked end of the clutch lever St.
  • By shifting the clutch head 35 it is possible to engage the clutch face 3'! thereof with or disengage said clutch face from engagement with a similar clutch face formed on the end of a driver sleeve 3S. which is keyed on a sleeve 39 having rotary bearing as at it on the fraine base.
  • the sleeve 3s provides bearing for the inner end of the shaft 2S.
  • a bevel pinion 4a is provided at the inner end of the sleeve 3Q and nieshes with and imparts rotation to a bevel gear 43 secured to the lower end of an upright shaft 44.
  • the shaft Ml is rotatable in bearings 15 provided. therefor in the feed table framing 45, and said shaft has secured thereona spur gear pinion t? which meshes ⁇ with and drives a spur gear it secured on an upright shaft i9 which is rotatable in an upper bearing 50 provided in the feed table framing it and a lower bearing 5i provided on the frame base.
  • the gear 48 meshes with and drives the turret ring gear i3, thus imparting continuous rotation to the turret structure.
  • the shaft le serves another purpose which will ⁇ be described hereinafter.
  • ontazner feed-in means The means for feeding the containers into the machine is best illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the drawings.
  • the containers may be fed into the machine on a chain passing about the center sprocket 52 of a double idler sprocket, but in the example of embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, the containers are fed into the machine on a rotary disk 53.
  • the disk 53 is secured to the upper end of an upright shaft 5G which is rotatable in a bearing bracket 55.
  • the bracket 55 may be mounted at 56 at either side of the feed table framing so as to place the disk 53 in the manner illustrated in Figure 1, or at the opposite side of the feedway.
  • the disk has a bevel gear 5T affixed thereto, and rotation is imparted to said gear by a bevel pinion 58 mounted on a cross shaft 59 which is rotatable in bearings Si! provided therefor on the feed table.
  • the shaft 59 is driven by a chain which passes over a sprocket El secured on said shaft, and said chain passes over one of a pair of parallel supporting rails 62 mounted on the feed table, over a tightener sprocket B3, and over a driver sprocket G4 secured on a cross shaft 65 which is rotatable in bearings Se provided on the feed table framing. See Figures 1, 2 and 4.
  • the containers fed into the machine by the disk and chains above referred to pass between parallel side guides 'i2 and between the timing screw '.13 and the opposing, yieldably pressed guide wall l'fi.
  • the timing screw times the infeeding of the containers so that they will properly be engaged by the star wheel which cooperates with the arcuate guide 'i6 in feeding the individual containers onto the supporting pads i8 which are serially presented by continuous rotation of the turret structure in the manner hereinabove described.
  • the timing screw i3 rotates in bearings 'l supported on the feed table and is driven by a bevel gear couple i8 from a cross shaft 79 which is rotatable in bearings Si! supported on the feed table. See Figures 1, 2 .and 4.
  • the shaft 'i9 is driven by a spur gear couple 8
  • a sprocket 82 is secured to the shaft 55 and is driven by a chain 83 which passes over a driver sprocket secured on a shaft BQ. in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 4.
  • a suitably mounted tightener sprocket 85 engages the chain 83.
  • the shaft 8d rotates in bearings 86 and has a bevel gear 3l aflixed thereon. Rotation is imparted to the gear 8i and the shaft 84 by a bevel gear 83 secured on the idler shaft 8S which is rotatable in bearings $0 provided therefor in the feed table frame. It will be noted by reference to Figure l that the idler shaft $9 has a spur gear 53
  • a hand wheel Q2 is provided and includes a hub 93 which is slidable along the shaft ed and equipped with a clutch face eli engageable with a clutch head 95 secured on said shaft.
  • Spring detent means 9B carried by the hand wheel hub A second sprocket Si is secured on the shaft 65, and a chain passes g is engageable in recess 91 fr yieldably holding the hand wheel in the clutched condition, or in a recess 93 for yieldably holding the hand wheel in the out-of-clutched condition.
  • meshes with a spur gear 99 on an upright shaft Iil mounted in an upper bearing mi provided on the feed table framing and a lower bearing
  • the beforementioned star wheel i5 is secured upon the upper end of the shaft
  • Container ,feed-cut means The means for feeding the containers out of the machine after they .have been syruped or filled is best illustrated in Figures 2 an 3 of the drawings.
  • a star wheel i i3 is secured on the upper end of the before. ientioned upright shaft 59, and as the star Wheel is rotated it cooperates with the arcuate guide i ifi which strips the filled containers from the turret structure pads i3 and pockets 2l and feeds them over the feed table fioor H5 into the longitudinal feedway provided between the parallel guides i i.
  • the fioor of the longitudinal feedway is slotted as at i i? to receive the feed lugs ila?, projecting upwardly from the feed-away chain 59. See Figure 3.
  • the chain iid passes overan idler sprocket l2@ supported on the feed table framing and said chain also passes over a tightener sprocket
  • the reservoir tank structure is best illustrated in Figures l, 2, 3, 2l and 22.
  • 22 surrounds externally threaded sleeve l' and has a key 23 which is elidable in the upright keyway i! formed in the external surface of the sleeve 'e'.
  • rEhe ring E22 is split at its lower end as at
  • the sleeve 122 has a peripheral skirt E26 which is vertically slidable within a split cover ring 21 mounted on the table ring portion i in the manner best illus-
  • An upper tank supporting ring i255 is provided and is Secured upon the lower ring 122 as at 29.
  • the rings E23 and 22 are so shaped as to provide between them a bearing recess E3B in which to rotatably receive an adjuster ring i3! which is threaded on the externally threaded surface of the sleeve l.
  • the adjuster ring is provided with a worm gear periphery 432 which is engaged by a rotatable adjuster worm gear 33. It will be apparent by reference to Figure 3 that by rotating the captive screw or worm gear i325, rotation will be imparted to the adjuster ring 23E, and said ring land the connected supporting rings 22 and 28 will be caused to move upwardly or downwardly 1on the supporting sleeve l' according to the direction in which the adjuster ring is turned.
  • An open topped reservoir tank 34 is secured as at E35 upon the upper supporting ring 28, and it will be observed that said tank is formed to include a central well or sump i395.
  • the well or sump 35 is closed by a gravity seated, gasketed cover IS'l.
  • the sump opens through its bottom into an attached, depending drain and vacuum pipe 538, and it will be noted by reference to Figure 3 that the lower end of the pipe Hi8 is slidable through a gland l39 in the upright leg of an elbow duct Mii extending upwardly into the hollow supporting column 6 and secured to the bottom end thereof as at IM.
  • the elbow duct i ii leads to the trap tank which will be described in detail hereinafter through a horizontal duct E42.
  • the floor or bottom of the tank i3d has a plurality of vacuum and drain ducts i113 formed therein, one said duct being provided for each of the ller head units supported on the tank, and said ducts open into the sump or well i3@ at their inner ends and extend through the peripheral wall of the tank at their outer ends.
  • each vacuum and drain duct i-fi there is also provided a liquid feed duct Mft, but these ducts eru tend through the peripheral wall of the tank and open into the bottom of the tank above the re movable sump cover 31.
  • the trap tank and vacuum source is best illusu trated in Figures l, 3, 19 and 2G.
  • the trap tank ille is uprightly supported on a bracket wie attached to the side of the frame base 5.
  • the vacuum and drain duct i452 passes through a gland it? into the interior of the trap tank in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 3 20.
  • the open top of the tank M5 is closed by a readily removable cover U15, and the tank is connected near the upper portion thereof, as at 49, with the main vacuum source.
  • An intermediate wall HES divides the tank into an upper vacuum chamber and a lower drain tank or chamber lei.
  • the lower chamber Iiil corninunicates with the upper or vacuum chamber through a vacuum lifted, gravity lowered valve 152. It will be apparent that so long as a vacuum is drawn in the upper trap tank chamber the valve
  • a rotary transfer valve 855 is provided and has ⁇ its flanged wall
  • the transfer valve has three isolated pockets let opening through the flanged wall l5@ for communication with the openings i553 and
  • a level gear itil is secured to the sleeve within the frame base 5, and a spring pressed plunger H55 extending through said sleeve engages the valve 55 and holds the same in seal contact against the trap tank wall i5?.
  • the bevel gear its meshes with and is driven by a bevel gear I'o which is secured. on an upright shaft le?.
  • the trap tank structure is provided with a vacuum duct il@ which opens into the upper or vacuum chamber of the tank structure at a high point. At its lower end, said vacuum duct opens through the wall opposed by the rotary transfer valve i515 in position for communicating with the valve pocket openings as they are serially presented by rotation of the valve. In this manner, as each valve pocket registers with the vacuum duct portion lli, sai-:l pocket will be evacuated in a manner for greatly facilitating the filling of. said pocket as it comes opposite the previously mentioned wall opening 'The upwardly extending duct I'Ei, open at its upper end, serves constantly to open the drain tank Iii! to atmosphere as shown in Figures 19 and 20.
  • an electric motor operated pump ll3 is supported on a bracket l? at one side of the trap structure, and said pump is automatically controlled for drawing oi liquid from the drain chamber liii.
  • Zin :order to automatically control the pump a .iloat llii is provided in the drain lwith an upright bearing tank and is connected a pivoted actuator level lili with a switch actuator ill best illustrated in Figure 19 of the drawing.
  • the actuator il? When the actuator il? is lowered, it closes the switch and starts the motor, and when said actuator is raised, it opens the switch and stops the motor.
  • Any suitable form of make and break contact switch may be provided and said switch may be connected with the motor in a conventional manner.
  • the pump Vit deliver liquid from the drain tank or chamber E51 through a line H8 controlled by a valve il@ so as to return the liquid to the reservoir' tank
  • Filler head units are best illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 7 to 18.
  • the reservoir tank ist is provided 182 attached to or formed integrally upon the periphery of said tank.
  • a valve drive spindle 2&3 having a splined upper end extending above said bearing. At its lower end, each.
  • spindle H33 has a enlargement equipped with a cross groove or keyway iil in which to receive a key itl-5 upstanding from the upper surface of a valve rotor ilii.
  • Each valve rotor is rotatable upon against a hardened wear plate it which is secured to the upper surface of a valve head 5% having a horizontal body portion and an upright mounting bracket portion ISE which is slot and screw secured as at 95 to the reservoir tank.
  • One of the valve heads U83 is shown in detail in Figures l5 and 16, and from these figures and Figure 9 it will be apparent that the upright mounting bracket portion ESS of each head is provided with a dcvetail socket I9!
  • a container sealing gasket is@ is provided below each valve head 83, and each gasket is held in place by a displacer port disk E95 which is in turn held in place by a displacer pad
  • the head it is provided with a depending lili, and the it@ is provided with an upstanding boss ii, and a screw ist extending throY-.igh an aperture n the boss i938 and threaded into a tap in the boss i2? serves to securely hold the pad 95 and the displacer port disk i525 in assembly on the underface of the valve head
  • 88. lt will be apparent by reference to Figure 9 that the displacer port disks Ei also serve to hold the sealing gaskets 29:55 in place.
  • a dowel extending through an aperture the valve head Hi8 and into sockets 23th provided in the under surface of the wear plate i3? and in the upper surface of the displacer port disk E95 serves to hold said wear plate and displacer port disk tive movement relative to the valve i
  • Each valve head 183 is provided with a liquid port 235 extending in a generally horizontal direction toward the center' of the reservoir tank and in position for communicating with the respective liquid feed duct Hifi of said tank.
  • the port 295 also includes a portion which turns upwardly through the center of the head and in line with the axisof the respective valve rotor i535 so as to always communicate with the center liquid port Ei therein.
  • valve head it also has an air, vacuum and liquid now port 2te which extends vertically therethrough to one side of the center, and also a vacuum port 2i?? having a generally horizontal portion extending toward the tank center in position for communicating with the respective vacuum and drain duct 43 of the reservoir tank and including an upwardly directed portion extending through the upper surface of the valve head in position ior communieating at times with the vacuum port 2M of the valve rotor EBS.
  • Each valve head also has an alsliary vacuum bore or port 2cd extending through the lower and upper surfaces thereof.
  • the wear plate icl is provided with a plurality of circular bores, one for registering with each of the port portions M5, 2&5, 2S? and Eii opening through the top face of the valve head 88 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 9 and 13 of the drawings.
  • each said disk is equipped with an auxiliary vacuum bore or port its and a bore 22) extending through the uppe surface thereof and opening at its lower end into a narrow, long arcuate slot 2 l I extending through the periphery of the disk in the manner best illustrated in Figures 17 and 18 and serving as a Vacuum and liquid dow passage.
  • the peculiar shaping or this passage makes it possible to serve its vacuum drawing and liquid flowing purposes efficiently and without danger of parts of the container fill engaging in and clogging said duct or opening.
  • Valve actuating means The means for indexing the individual valve rotors 35 as the turret structure is being continuously rotated on its support is best illustrated in Figures l, 3, 9, 1l and 13.
  • a spring pressed plunger 2 i2 extending downwardly through each of the valve drive spindles E83 and engaged in a socket Zi in the top portion of the respective valve rotor serves to yieldably press the said rotor in seal contact against the underlying v-.vear plate iii?, ai also to center said valve rotor.
  • a star wheel actuator Mii is mounted on each spindle 283, having hub spline secured to the top o1" die.
  • the fingers of the several actuator members 2id move past and contact actuator rollers, and upon each roller contact, the contacting actuator 2W is indexed 90 so as to impart a 90 movement to the respective valve rotor E85 about its center.
  • Each star wheel actuator 2id has a detent plate 2li secured to the under surface of its hub, and each detent plate is provided with a plurality of recesses corresponding to the positions to which the valve rotors are indexed and which are engageable with spring pressed detents 258 mounted in their respective valve head bearing projections and serving to yieldably hold the valve rotors in the positions to which they are indexed.
  • a nut 2i tire-aded on each spindle i 33 serves to hold the respective star wheel actuator 2id in place thereon, and a lift knob 22] secured to the top of each spring pressed plunger ZlE inalres it possible to readily displace the plungers when it is d red to remove the valve rotors it.
  • Each spindle head has a pin 225 projecting downwardly therefrom into a receiving recess 222 formed in the top of the respective valve rotor i815, and these pin and recess connections asssure the assembly of the rotors and the valve heads in proper cooperative relation.
  • support standards 223 are secured to said base in the manner best illustrated in Figures l and 25 o the drawings.
  • Said standards have relatively mova le sections which are adjustable as to height by manipulation of adjuster screws 225i.
  • the standards E23 support brackets 225 which extend radially inwardly and serve as supports for a mounting ring rIhree clamp brackets 22? are adjustably secured on the mounting ring 22d, and each said bracket supports a star wheel actuator positioning roller.
  • the roller which is effective to shi t the valve rotor from the number two to the number three position is designated 228.
  • the roller which is effective to shift the valve rotor from the number three to the number four p sition is designated 229 and the roller which is effective to shift the valve rotor from tie number four position to the number one position is designated 239.
  • the other actuator roller Edi which shifts the valve rotor from the number one position to the number two position is not adjustably mounted, but is vertically movable and forms a part of no container-no nil mechanism which will now be described in detail. It will be apparent that by adjusting the positions of the brackets il? and the actuator rollers 22S, 22g and carried thereby it is possible to vary the timing ol the valve indexing and the periods over which the valve will remain their several adjusted positions. 'in this manner it is possible to varyr the timing duration of the main evacuation of the containers, the iniiowing of liquid during the main nil, the auxiliary evacuation of containers and the drawing oi nil surplus, and also the opening of the containers to atmosphere.
  • No container-no fill control As previously' stated, each time one of the valve actuator star wheels 2 ill engages one of the rollers. 228, 223, 23@ and 2.3!, the particular valve rotor will be indexed a quarter-turn.
  • the no container-no nll control. device is best illustrated in Figures l, G and S) or the drawings from which it will be apparent that the roller 23S is vertin cally reciprocable in a bearing hub i232 formed on a bracket 33 which is secured beneath the mounting ring 22@ in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 6 and 9.
  • the bracket is equipped with bearing ears 231i which rockably support the bell crank lever 235.
  • the bell crank actuator is pivoted as at 23d on a bracket 2li@ which is supported on the feed table framing le in the manner illustrated in Figure 6.
  • the other arm 265i of the bell crank actuator extends uprightly adjacent the rounding up turret or half mold idd and has an arcuate cam plate 2&2 adiustably mounted thereon in the manner illustrated in Figure 6 in position for being displaced by each container as it is being rounded up by the respective turret pocket 2'! and the engaging rounding up pocket E63 of the turret illl.
  • Reservoir tank Zeoel control The means for assuring the provision or" a proper level of liquid in the reservoir tank i3d best illustrated in Figures 2l and 22.
  • Upon trarne standard 2433 disposed at one side or" the nie-chine is mounted a supporting arin Belli, said n extending radi ly over the tanirin manner clearly illustrated in Figure 22.
  • A. supply valvel generally designated is supported at the iree end oi said arm directly over the center ci the tank 34.
  • the valve comprises a body 2&5 and a cover section 2li?
  • a diaphragm is secured between the sections 26 and 2111, and a valve element 250 is attached to the diaphragm so as to be lifted and lowered thereby, away from or into contact with the seats 25
  • a compression spring 25e constantly tends to hold the valve member 25:3 on the seats 25
  • An actuator rod 251 passing upwardly through a gland 258 has a slot and pin connection as at 259 with the diaphragm and is connected at its upwardly extending end with an eccentric head Zi formed on a hand lever which may be turned in engagement with the removable bonnet 25
  • the slot and pin connection 25S permits upward and downward movement of the diaphragm independently or" the manual control of the rod 251.
  • a vacuum duct 262 is provided in the valve section 2121 above the diaphragm 25.9, and said duct is connected by a pipe 263 with a duct 26d disposed to intersect the uprightly disposed plunger bore 255 formed in the control valve 262 which is removably mounted as at 251 on the supporting arm 2M,
  • a plunger 253 is vertically reciprocable in the bore 2te, and said plunger is equipped with an annular recess 259 effective as the plunger is lifted or lowered to open or close vacuum source communication through the duct 25d.
  • An air port 21B is provided in the control valve 262 above the duct 254, and a bleed groove 2li is provided in the plunger 25B in position for communicating between the duct 264 and the air port 2li) whenever the plunger is in its lowered position.
  • the plunger 228 is link connested as at 2'l2with the short end 213 of an actuator lever 214 which is pivoted intermediate its end as at 2'i5 on an extension 216 from the valve 252.
  • the valve 266 also has a valve chamber 211 and a valve 21B vertically reciprocable therein and effective to permit or prevent vacuum communication through said chamber with the vacuum duct 26:2.
  • the stem 280 of the valve 2'53 extends downwardly and has pin and recess connection as at 25
  • the snap member 232 is pivoted to a spring toggle link 285 which is connected at its other end to the support 28d.
  • the lever end 213 has an extension 23% which is operable between two vertically spaced pins 28? projecting from the Y of the reservoir tank
  • a vacuum line 29B is connected with the duct Z and with a suitable vacuum source, preferably the vacuumizing chamber in the vacuumizing and closing machine to which the containers are delivered from the syruping machine forming the subject matter of the present disclosure.
  • the float 229 will have been lifted to effect a depression oi the lever end 213 suiiicient to move the plunger 258 downwardly and cause the snap member 232 to reverse its position and unseat the Valve 212.
  • the lowering of the plunger 25S will cut off the vacuum source and open the pipe 25.53 and the space above the diaphragm 2id to atmosphere through the bleed duct 21
  • Container stop control The means for preventing the feeding of conn tainers into the machine when the supply of syrup or liquid is exhausted or dangerously low, or when the vacuum source in the vacuumizing and closing machine to which treated containers are to be fed from the syruping machine is iii-- adequate is best shown in Figures 21 and 22.
  • the stop control generally designated I and previously referred to comprises a cylinder 29
  • the piston is connected as at 223 with a stop gate 291i disposed in the manner somewhat diagrammatically illustrated Figure l so that when it is extended across the ieedway over which containers are fed into the machine, it will prevent the infeeding of containers.
  • a spring 295 constantly tends to force the piston in a direction for placing the gate in a feed stopping position.
  • a duct 29s connects the cylinder 29
  • the feed stop gate 294 will be displaced so as not to inter fere with the infeeding oi containers.
  • the timing screw 13' will properly' space the containers to be picked up'y by the turret 15' and deposited thereby onto' the supporting pads
  • the pad lifting cam 24 is so' shaped ⁇ that. the-liftingl of the pads commences shortly before the point of tangency of the feed turret 15 and the pitchl circle ofthe supporting pads I8 has beenreached.
  • 34and therespective pad 4I8 are on center.
  • 86 thereof will be' in the number one position illustrated in Figures" 7 and 8 of the drawings.
  • will beiilled with liquid but Will not be in communication with the' interior o f" the sealed container.
  • the vacuum duct I ⁇ I2-andthe trap tank- HIS is" in oonimunication with the interior. of thecontainer through the valve prt 202, the head port ZandV the displacer disk port 2

Description

March 27, 1951 G. L. ARDRON ETAL SIEUPING MACHINE AND ME'IHQD EoR SIRUPING FILLED CONTAINERS ll Sheets-Shee, l
Filed Aug. l2, 1946 IT. u. n\\
March 27, 1951 G. L. ARDRON ET Al. 2,546,418
sIRuPING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR sIRuPING FILLED CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 12, 1946 l1 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 27, 1951 G. L. ARDRON ET A1. 2,546,418
SIEUPING MACHINE AND METHOD EDR SIRUPING FILLED CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 12, 1946 1l Sheets-Sheet 3 W u INVENTORJ w Gerald J9/dran March 27. 1951 G. L. ARDRON ET AL 2,545,418
SIRUPING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR sIRuPING FILLED CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 12, 194e 11 sheets-sheet 4 IN V EN TORS. Gera/d fifa/ron BY A./Veron l.. odye March 27, 1951 G, L, ARDRON ETAL 2,546,418
,SIRUPING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SIRUPING FILLED CONTNERS Filed Aug. l2, 1946 I 1l Sheets-sheet 5 March 279 i953 G. L. ARDRQN ET AL 2954-6943@ SIRUPING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SIRUPING FILLED CONTAINERS ll Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. l2, 1946 mi @w March 27, E951 G. L'. ARDRON ET AL 2954694@ SIRUPING MACHIN METHOD E A SIRUPING FILLED NTAINER Filed Aug. l2, 1946 1l Sheaets-Sheecl 7 7am, mi, mg am# March Z7, H9531 G. L.. ARDRON @TAL 29546943@ SIRUPING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SIRUPING FILLED CONTAINERS Filed Aug. l2, 1946 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 5mm@ mig ma# March 27, 1951 G L. ARDRON ET AL 2,546,418
SIRUPIG MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SIRUPING FILLED CONTAINERS Filed Aug. l2, 1946 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 1N VEN T0125. v Gera/d L- ra/P011 March 279 1951 G. L. ARDRoN ET AL 2,546,418
SIRUPING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR sIRUPING FILLED CONTAINERS Filed Aug. l2, 1946 ll Sheets-Sheet l0 WMM/1%,MAJZDM March 27, 1951 EIIedAug. 12, 194e G. L. ARDRON ET Al. 2,546,418 SIRUPING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR sIRuPING FILLED CONTAINERS 1l Sheets-Sheet ll Patented Mar. 27, 195
UNITED TTES ifiqiti'i est-iid SIRUPING liil-CHENE AND METHQE) FR SIRUPING FHLLED CGNTAINERS Application August 12, 1946, Serial No. 689,364
24 Claims. l
The invention relates generally to liquid filling machines primarily seeks to provide a novel machine structure capable of rapidly and ac curately filling liquid into containes in a manner assuring the provision of predetermined, uniform head spaces therein. The invention also embraces a novel method of iilline containers in ianner lfor assuring the provision of predend, uniform head spaces there*m mon the objects oi the inventio" is that of providing a novel method of the character stated involving the filling cr syruning of the containers by drawing a high vacuum in the container and contents with a, displacer member of predetermined effective volumetric capacity inserted therein, shutting ofi the *.V'acuuni and then flowing the syrup or other liquid into the evacuated container, then continuing the supply of syrup cr other liquid and drav-Jing off residual air and surplus liquid through a restricted port for completely filling the container eace'ot ror the displacement of the displacer men her, then shutting,f oir the auxiliary vacuum and the iid i ncrv and opening the container to the atmosphere.
it is customary in the packaging of fruit or comparable products in containers to ll said products into the containers, and then to add quantity ci syrup or other liquid to the nil in each container in order to provide a dennite, predetermined liquid level or head space therein1 and, in some instances, to improve the taste oi' the products. When the added liquid is intended to improve the taste or" the product, as in the case oi syrup in uit containers, it desirolole to draw a vacuum in the containers prior to introduction of the syrup thereinto, thereby to facilitate the introduction of the syrup into the containers and also into the interstices in and between component parts or the lill. Therefore, it is' an object .of the invention to provide a novel syruping machine structure in which is provided means for temporarily closing the container and drawing a vacuum therein incidental to thcl sgruping function.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved machine structure of the character stated in which there are included displacer head means effective to temporariiy close containers and determine the head snace to provided therein, means ici' rai 'diy evacuating the temporarily closed containers, means for discontinuing said container evacuation, including a reservoir onen to atmosphere for directing the syrup or other liquid by atenasm pheric air pressure augmented gravity flow into included nier .A for varying the duration of the ir. evacu n of 'the containers and also the auxiliary evacuation of opening of the containtiming of tnei'ill, the the containers, and the to atmosphere.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine structure of the character-stated in which there are included a continuously rotating tr et structure havinU a plurality of equidistantiy aced vertically recinrocahle container supporting pads thereon, a reservoir tank ro-m tatable with and about the axis of the turret and having nier units thereon disposed one over each said pad and each comprising.T a displacer against which the containers are sealed oy lifting: of the pads and a shift-able valve for oontroliing the drawing of the vacuum in the containers, the fion-'ing ci liquid thereinto and the openinfr of said containers to atmosphere, means or actuating the valve nieans as the 'turret and tank are rotating, means for feeding containers onto the pads to be lled thereon, and means for feeding containers from the pads and out of the machine after they have been lled.
Another object oi the invention is to provide a machine structure or the character stated in which the reservoir tank and the filler units thereon are vertically adjustable with respect to the container supporting pads so that othine can be adjusted for filling containers of erent heights.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in Which the valve means and the valve actuating means coniprises a rotatably mounted valve disk in each filler unit, a star wheel attached to each valve disk, means for engaging and indexing each star wheel as the turret and tank are rotated for moving the valve disks to their several control positions, and means for preventing indexing of any valve disk that overlies a devoid of a container during the whole of any given turret rotation during Which said pad remains empty. Another object of the invention is to provide a f... ci Si 3 machine of the character stated in which the valve disk indexing star wheels each includes a nger disposed at an individual level and engageable with a roller for indexing the respective valve disk to the high vacuum drawing position, and three fingers disposed at a common but different level and being successively engageable with rollers for indexing the respective valve disk first to a position for shutting oif the high vacuum and commencing the iiow of liquid into the Vacuumized container, hen to a position for continuing the iiow of liquid and initiating the auxiliary vacuumization effective to draw oi residual air and surplus liquid ll, and then to a position for shutting off the liquid ilow and the auxiliary drawing of vacuum and for opening the container to atmosphere, said first mentioned roller being shiftabl;y mounted, and there being included means for displacing the shiftable roller from the path movement of a particular one of the in dividual level fingers whenever there is no container supported on the pad underlying the nller unit of which said particular finger forms a part.
Another object of the invention is to provide in a machine of the character stated a trap tank through which the vacuum is drawn and into which surplus fill drawn oi from the containers is received.
Another object of he invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which the trap tank and the open reservoir tank normally are isolated one from the other, and in which there is included means for opening communication between said tanks to permit the latter to drain into the former.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which there are included the beforementioned trap tank and a drain tank and novel means for transferring liquid from the trap tank into the drain tank without opening the trap tank to atmosphere.
Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for maintaining a predetermined working level of liquid in the reservoir tank, and means for preventing the feeding of containers into the machine if said tank does not have a proper supply of liquid therein.
Another object of the invention is to provide novel liquid level controlling means of the character stated including a vacuum source, and means for preventing the feeding of containers into the machine upon failure of said vacuum source.
With the above and other objects in View that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view illustrating a syruping machine structure embodying the invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Figure 1, parts being broken away and in section, the parallel guides for guiding the infeeding cans toward the timing screw being omitted for purposes of clarity.
Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectio-n taken on the line 3 3 on Figure 1. f
Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross section taken on the line -d on Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross section taken on the line 5-5 on Figure l.
Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical cross section Cil taken on the line 6--5 on Figure 1 and illustrating the no container-no fill control.
Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional view taken through one of the filler head units, the valve being shown in the number one position in which the syrup feed porting, the main vacuum porting and the auxiliary vacuum porting are closed, and the porting effective to open the container to atmosphere is open.
Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8 8 on Figure '7.
Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 7, the whole of the filler head unit being shown, and the valve being illustrated in the number two position in which the syrup feed porting is closed, the main vacuum porting is open, and the auxiliary vacuum porting and the porting effective to open the container to atmosphere are closed.
Figure 10 is a horizontal section taken on the line lll-I on Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a View similar to Figure 9, the valve being shown in the number three position in which the syrup feed porting is open, and the main vacuum porting, the auxiliary vacuum porting and the porting effective to open the container to atmosphere are closed.
Figure l2 is a horizontal section taken on the line i2-l2 on Figure 11.
Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 9, the valve being shown in the number four position in which the syrup feed porting is open, the main vacuum porting is closed, the auxiliary vacuum porting is open, and the porting effective to Open the container to atmosphere is closed.
Figure la is a horizontal section taken on the line ift-I4 on Figure 13.
Figure 15 is a face View of one of the stationary valve heads.
Figure 16 is a plan View of the valve head shown in Figure 15.
Figure 17 is a plan view of one of the displacer port disks.
Figure 18 is an edge view of the disk shown in Figure 17.
Figure 19 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line Iii-I9 on Figure 1.
Figure 20 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View taken through the trap tank and drain valve.
Figure 2l is an enlarged vertical cross Sectional View illustrating a non-operating position of the means for controlling the introduction of liquid into the reservoir tank, the container feed stop gate also being diagrammatically illustrated.
Figure 22 is a plan View of the parts shown in Figure 21.
Figure 23 is an inverted fragmentary plan view illustrating the control valve snap action.
Figure 24 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional view showing the vacuum control valve shifted by elevation of the float in the reservoir tank,
Figure 25 is a fragmentary vertical section-al View illustrating one of the valve actuator ring supporting standards.
In the improved syruping or lling machine herein disclosed, the containers are fed into the machine by an infeeding means generally designated A, and onto individual vertical reciprocable container supporting pads arranged in equidistantly spaced relation about the periphery of a continuously rotated turret structure generally designated B. While moving about on the turret, the containers are filled with the syrup or other liquid which flows by gravity from the reservoir tank structure generally designated C into the containers, greatly accelerated by low pressure within the containers, said containers being supported by the turret pads and lifted by said pads into sealing contact with the filler units D. As will be explained in detail hereinafter, the ller head units include control valve structures, land valve actuating devices are operated so as to effect the syruping or iilling of the containers in four stages as follows: First, a high vacuum is drawn in the container for withdrawing air from the interstices in and between the components of the fill therein, and then the vacuum is cut off. After the vacuum has been cut off, syrup or other liquid is allowed to flow by gravity into the vacuumized container from the reservoir tank, said flow being greatly accelerated due to the low pressure in the evacuated container. The flow of the syrup or other liquid into the vacuumized container continues until the pressure of the residual air in the container prevents further flow, and then the auxiliary vacuum porting opens to effect a drawing off of the residual air while continuing the supply of the syrup or other liquid to the container for completely filling said container to the extent permitted by the displacer pad forming a part of the filler head. During the drawing of the auxiliary vacuum, surplus liquid is drawn off into a trap tank. After thus completing the filling of the container, the auxiliary vacuum porting is closed and the porting effective to perrnit entry of air at atmospheric pressure is opened, and then the turret pad which has been effective to hold the container against the filler head is lowered. The trap tank is generally designated E.
After the container have been filled in the manner above described and lowered by the turret pads, they are fed out of the machine by feed-away means generally designated F.
A proper working level of he syrup or other liquid is maintained in the reservoir tank C by' a Vacuum and neat controlled supply means generally designated G, and a swingably mounted gate is associated with the container infeeding means A and is effective whenever the supply of syrup or other liquid in the reservoir tank C is exhausted or dangerously low to stop the feeding of containers into the machine. The feed stopping rneans is generally designated H.
There is also provided means for preventing actuation of the control valve of any .filler head u it D beneath which no container is positioned for receiving the syrup or other liquid. This no container-no ll control means is generally designated T.
Turret structure and support The turret structure and the support therefor is best illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 3 of the drawings. There 'is provided a frame base 5 upon which is secured an upstanding, hollow center Column The colurnn 6 is surrounded by a turret sleeve 'i which is rotatable about lower bearings t and upper bearings 9. The sleeve 1 is externally threaded as at i and provided with a vertical key-way il for a purpose to be described hereinafter.
The turret tahle i2 is secured to a flange projecting outwardly from the sleeve 7, and a ring gear i3 is secured to said table in the manner best illustrated in Figure 3. The table i2 is provided with a plurality of equidistantly spaced upright guides I4 which extend upwardly and downwardly through the sloping ring portion I5 of said table. It will be apparent by reference to Figure 3 that the downwardly turned peripheral edge portion of the table ring portion i5 rotatably embraces .a peripheral wall it projecting upwardly from the frame base 5.
A plunger il is vertically reciprocable in each guide i4, and 'each said plungei1 carries a container supporting pad i3 at its upper end. The lower end of each plunger is bifurcated and equipped with a radially disposed cross pin I9 on which is mounted a pad lifting roller 2E?, and a pad lowering roller 2i. Each plunger also is equipped with a key projection 22 which is slidable in an upright guide groove 23 provided in the tabley ring i2 in a manner for maintaining the proper position of the pads as the turret is rotated about the center column or standard 5. The rollers 2&3 ride upon a cam 24 which is secured as at 25 upon the frame base 5, and the rollers 2| are engageable under a lowering cani 26 which is effective to assure the lowering of the pads after completion of each syruping or filling cycle. See Figures 1 andS.
Turret drive The means for imparting rotation to the turret structure is oest illustrated in Figures 2- and 3 of the drawings. A driver shaft 28 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 2G provided in a plate removably secured on the frame base, .and rotation is iinparted to said shaft through a flexible coupling 36' by a shaft 3i. The shaft 3| serves to represent any suitable. power input source, and it may constitute a projection from the cover clinching machine associated `with the vacuumizing and closing machine to which the syruping machine feeds the container treated therein, or said shaft may be a part of the vacuuniizing and closing machine itself.
The shaft 23 has a driver disk 33 keyed thereon, and said disk serves to drive the disk 33 through an overload release means of a type well known in the art. The disk 33 projects from a sleeve which is free on the shaft 28, and a clutch head 35 is splined on said sleeve and shiftable therealong by engagement therewith of the forked end of the clutch lever St. By shifting the clutch head 35, it is possible to engage the clutch face 3'! thereof with or disengage said clutch face from engagement with a similar clutch face formed on the end of a driver sleeve 3S. which is keyed on a sleeve 39 having rotary bearing as at it on the fraine base. It will also be noted by reference to Figure 2 that the sleeve 3s provides bearing for the inner end of the shaft 2S. A bevel pinion 4a is provided at the inner end of the sleeve 3Q and nieshes with and imparts rotation to a bevel gear 43 secured to the lower end of an upright shaft 44. See Figures 2 and 3. The shaft Ml is rotatable in bearings 15 provided. therefor in the feed table framing 45, and said shaft has secured thereona spur gear pinion t? which meshes `with and drives a spur gear it secured on an upright shaft i9 which is rotatable in an upper bearing 50 provided in the feed table framing it and a lower bearing 5i provided on the frame base. The gear 48 meshes with and drives the turret ring gear i3, thus imparting continuous rotation to the turret structure. The shaft le serves another purpose which will` be described hereinafter.
andere ontazner feed-in means iThe means for feeding the containers into the machine is best illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the drawings. The containers may be fed into the machine on a chain passing about the center sprocket 52 of a double idler sprocket, but in the example of embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, the containers are fed into the machine on a rotary disk 53. The disk 53 is secured to the upper end of an upright shaft 5G which is rotatable in a bearing bracket 55. It will be apparent by reference to Figure 1 of the drawings that the bracket 55 may be mounted at 56 at either side of the feed table framing so as to place the disk 53 in the manner illustrated in Figure 1, or at the opposite side of the feedway. lThe disk has a bevel gear 5T affixed thereto, and rotation is imparted to said gear by a bevel pinion 58 mounted on a cross shaft 59 which is rotatable in bearings Si! provided therefor on the feed table. The shaft 59 is driven by a chain which passes over a sprocket El secured on said shaft, and said chain passes over one of a pair of parallel supporting rails 62 mounted on the feed table, over a tightener sprocket B3, and over a driver sprocket G4 secured on a cross shaft 65 which is rotatable in bearings Se provided on the feed table framing. See Figures 1, 2 and 4.
over the sprocket E?, over the other guide rail of the pair of parallel rails, over tightener sprocket 68, and over the second sprocket 69 which is companion of the beforementioned center sprocket 52 and which rotates idly about the cross shaft 'i supported in the feed table bearings 7|.
The containers fed into the machine by the disk and chains above referred to pass between parallel side guides 'i2 and between the timing screw '.13 and the opposing, yieldably pressed guide wall l'fi. The timing screw times the infeeding of the containers so that they will properly be engaged by the star wheel which cooperates with the arcuate guide 'i6 in feeding the individual containers onto the supporting pads i8 which are serially presented by continuous rotation of the turret structure in the manner hereinabove described.
The timing screw i3 rotates in bearings 'l supported on the feed table and is driven by a bevel gear couple i8 from a cross shaft 79 which is rotatable in bearings Si! supported on the feed table. See Figures 1, 2 .and 4. The shaft 'i9 is driven by a spur gear couple 8| from the pre- Y.
viously mentioned shaft 65 on which the sprockets Sd and 6T are mounted. A sprocket 82 is secured to the shaft 55 and is driven by a chain 83 which passes over a driver sprocket secured on a shaft BQ. in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 4. A suitably mounted tightener sprocket 85 engages the chain 83.
The shaft 8d rotates in bearings 86 and has a bevel gear 3l aflixed thereon. Rotation is imparted to the gear 8i and the shaft 84 by a bevel gear 83 secured on the idler shaft 8S which is rotatable in bearings $0 provided therefor in the feed table frame. It will be noted by reference to Figure l that the idler shaft $9 has a spur gear 53| secured thereon.
A hand wheel Q2 is provided and includes a hub 93 which is slidable along the shaft ed and equipped with a clutch face eli engageable with a clutch head 95 secured on said shaft. Spring detent means 9B carried by the hand wheel hub A second sprocket Si is secured on the shaft 65, and a chain passes g is engageable in recess 91 fr yieldably holding the hand wheel in the clutched condition, or in a recess 93 for yieldably holding the hand wheel in the out-of-clutched condition. When the hand wheel is in the clutched condition with the hub $3 engaging the clutch head 95, the various parts of the machine may be moved manually. The spur gear 9| meshes with a spur gear 99 on an upright shaft Iil mounted in an upper bearing mi provided on the feed table framing and a lower bearing |02 provided in the frame base, and said gear S9 meshes with and is driven by the turret ring gear I3. The beforementioned star wheel i5 is secured upon the upper end of the shaft |98, and thus the star wheel, the feeder disk 53, the chains passing over the rails 52 and the timing screwfl are driven by the turret ring gear I3 through the power transmitting connections above described.
As the containers are fed onto the turret pads I8 by the star wheel '35, they are engaged by rounding up pockets |03 of the half mold turret l which is secured to the upper end of an upright shaft |85. The shaft and rounding up turret structure is best shown in Figures 1 and 5, and said shaft is rotatable in an upper bearing |65 supported on the feed table framing, and a lower bearing itl provided in the frame base. A spur gear |58 is secured to the lower end of the shaft IE5 and meshes with and is driven by a pinion gear l formed on an idler sleeve il() which is rotatable about a stud shaft l! secured in the frame base bearings H2. It will be noted that the spur pinion |09 is of considerable length and is engaged by and driven by the beforementioned spur gear 9S. It will thus be apparent that the rounding up turret is driven by the turret ring gear I3.
Container ,feed-cut means The means for feeding the containers out of the machine after they .have been syruped or filled is best illustrated in Figures 2 an 3 of the drawings. A star wheel i i3 is secured on the upper end of the before. ientioned upright shaft 59, and as the star Wheel is rotated it cooperates with the arcuate guide i ifi which strips the filled containers from the turret structure pads i3 and pockets 2l and feeds them over the feed table fioor H5 into the longitudinal feedway provided between the parallel guides i i. The fioor of the longitudinal feedway is slotted as at i i? to receive the feed lugs ila?, projecting upwardly from the feed-away chain 59. See Figure 3. The chain iid passes overan idler sprocket l2@ supported on the feed table framing and said chain also passes over a tightener sprocket |25. It is to be understood that the chain ii is driven from the clincher machine or the vacuumizing and closing machine to which the syruped containers are delivered from the syruping machine, thereby to assure that the containers will be fed into the receiving machine in proper timed relation to the devices which receive them.
The reservoir tank The reservoir tank structure is best illustrated in Figures l, 2, 3, 2l and 22. A lower support ring |22 surrounds externally threaded sleeve l' and has a key 23 which is elidable in the upright keyway i! formed in the external surface of the sleeve 'e'. rEhe ring E22 is split at its lower end as at |21@ and can be drawn together by a screw EZ to tightly clamp the sleeve |22 on the trated in Figures l and 3 of the drawings.
sleeve l, or said screw may be loosened to permit sliding of the sleeve i22 along said sleeve 'l for a purpose to be described hereinafter. The sleeve 122 has a peripheral skirt E26 which is vertically slidable within a split cover ring 21 mounted on the table ring portion i in the manner best illus- An upper tank supporting ring i255 is provided and is Secured upon the lower ring 122 as at 29. The rings E23 and 22 are so shaped as to provide between them a bearing recess E3B in which to rotatably receive an adjuster ring i3! which is threaded on the externally threaded surface of the sleeve l. The adjuster ring is provided with a worm gear periphery 432 which is engaged by a rotatable adjuster worm gear 33. It will be apparent by reference to Figure 3 that by rotating the captive screw or worm gear i325, rotation will be imparted to the adjuster ring 23E, and said ring land the connected supporting rings 22 and 28 will be caused to move upwardly or downwardly 1on the supporting sleeve l' according to the direction in which the adjuster ring is turned.
An open topped reservoir tank 34 is secured as at E35 upon the upper supporting ring 28, and it will be observed that said tank is formed to include a central well or sump i395. The well or sump 35 is closed by a gravity seated, gasketed cover IS'l. The sump opens through its bottom into an attached, depending drain and vacuum pipe 538, and it will be noted by reference to Figure 3 that the lower end of the pipe Hi8 is slidable through a gland l39 in the upright leg of an elbow duct Mii extending upwardly into the hollow supporting column 6 and secured to the bottom end thereof as at IM. The elbow duct i ii leads to the trap tank which will be described in detail hereinafter through a horizontal duct E42.
The floor or bottom of the tank i3d has a plurality of vacuum and drain ducts i113 formed therein, one said duct being provided for each of the ller head units supported on the tank, and said ducts open into the sump or well i3@ at their inner ends and extend through the peripheral wall of the tank at their outer ends. Beside each vacuum and drain duct i-fi, there is also provided a liquid feed duct Mft, but these ducts eru tend through the peripheral wall of the tank and open into the bottom of the tank above the re movable sump cover 31. Thus the inner or reN ceiving ends of the liquid feed ducts Hill are isolated froin the inner or delivery ends of the vacuum and drain ducts l i3 by the removable cover lSl.
Trap tank and vacuum source The trap tank and vacuum source is best illusu trated in Figures l, 3, 19 and 2G. The trap tank ille is uprightly supported on a bracket wie attached to the side of the frame base 5. The vacuum and drain duct i452 passes through a gland it? into the interior of the trap tank in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 3 20. The open top of the tank M5 is closed by a readily removable cover U15, and the tank is connected near the upper portion thereof, as at 49, with the main vacuum source. lt will thus be apparent that the interior of the tank M5, the duct the duct ist, the pipe 33, the well or sump i3d and the vacuum ducts 553 in the bottorn ci the tank will have a high vacuum drawn therein.
An intermediate wall HES divides the tank into an upper vacuum chamber and a lower drain tank or chamber lei. The lower chamber Iiil corninunicates with the upper or vacuum chamber through a vacuum lifted, gravity lowered valve 152. It will be apparent that so long as a vacuum is drawn in the upper trap tank chamber the valve |52 will remain closed, and when the vacuum is cut oi, as when the machine is shut down, the valve will open by gravity action and freely drain any liquid from the bottom of the vacuum chamber into the lower drain tank.
It will be apparent by reference to Figure 19 of the drawings that the wall of the trap tank structure presented toward the base frame 5 is provided with two liquid transfer openings, one thereof designated it being disposed above the intermediate wall iti) or in the vacuum chain-- ber portion of the trap tank structure, and the other lati being disposed below said wall or in the drain tank portion of said structure. A rotary transfer valve 855 is provided and has `its flanged wall |55 rotatable in seal contact against a tank wall Iiil' provided with the previously mentioned openings 53 and 54. The transfer valve has three isolated pockets let opening through the flanged wall l5@ for communication with the openings i553 and |54.
A driver collar 559 is notch and pin connected as at It@ with the transfer valve I 55 and is con= nected as at i6! to a hollow sleeve it which is ro tatable in a bearing 163 secured to the frame base 5. A level gear itil is secured to the sleeve within the frame base 5, and a spring pressed plunger H55 extending through said sleeve engages the valve 55 and holds the same in seal contact against the trap tank wall i5?. The bevel gear its meshes with and is driven by a bevel gear I'o which is secured. on an upright shaft le?. The shaft ll' is rotatable in a bearing It yin the frame base and has a spur gear pinion 159 'se= cured thereon in position for meshing with and being driven by the turret structure ring gear I It will be apparent that as the turret structure is continuously rotated, continuous rotation will be imparted to the transfer valve 55, and as each valve pocket cornes opposite the opening 53 in the trap tank wall above the intermediate wall liiil it will receive syrup or liquid which may be contained in the lower portion. of the upper trap tank chamber and will carry the saine downwardly and deliver it through the wall opening l5@ into the lower drain tank or chamber ISI.
ln order to facilitate lling of the valve pockets with liquid to be transferred from the trap tank into the drain tank chamber itil, the trap tank structure is provided with a vacuum duct il@ which opens into the upper or vacuum chamber of the tank structure at a high point. At its lower end, said vacuum duct opens through the wall opposed by the rotary transfer valve i515 in position for communicating with the valve pocket openings as they are serially presented by rotation of the valve. In this manner, as each valve pocket registers with the vacuum duct portion lli, sai-:l pocket will be evacuated in a manner for greatly facilitating the filling of. said pocket as it comes opposite the previously mentioned wall opening 'The upwardly extending duct I'Ei, open at its upper end, serves constantly to open the drain tank Iii! to atmosphere as shown in Figures 19 and 20.
,an electric motor operated pump ll3 is supported on a bracket l? at one side of the trap structure, and said pump is automatically controlled for drawing oi liquid from the drain chamber liii. Zin :order to automatically control the pump, a .iloat llii is provided in the drain lwith an upright bearing tank and is connected a pivoted actuator level lili with a switch actuator ill best illustrated in Figure 19 of the drawing. When the actuator il? is lowered, it closes the switch and starts the motor, and when said actuator is raised, it opens the switch and stops the motor. Any suitable form of make and break contact switch may be provided and said switch may be connected with the motor in a conventional manner. The pump Vit deliver liquid from the drain tank or chamber E51 through a line H8 controlled by a valve il@ so as to return the liquid to the reservoir' tank |34, or the pumped liquid may be delivered through a line controlled by a valve i8! to any other suitable discharge point.
Filler head units `The filler head units are best illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 7 to 18. At the position of each filler head unit the reservoir tank ist is provided 182 attached to or formed integrally upon the periphery of said tank. In each bearing is mounted. a valve drive spindle 2&3 having a splined upper end extending above said bearing. At its lower end, each.
spindle H33 has a enlargement equipped with a cross groove or keyway iil in which to receive a key itl-5 upstanding from the upper surface of a valve rotor ilii. Each valve rotor is rotatable upon against a hardened wear plate it which is secured to the upper surface of a valve head 5% having a horizontal body portion and an upright mounting bracket portion ISE which is slot and screw secured as at 95 to the reservoir tank. One of the valve heads U83 is shown in detail in Figures l5 and 16, and from these figures and Figure 9 it will be apparent that the upright mounting bracket portion ESS of each head is provided with a dcvetail socket I9! in which to receive the head H82 of an adjuster screw i533 threaded through the respective extension from the tank upon which the particular bearing 532 is supported. It will be obvious that by loosening the screw i9@ and 'turning the adjuster screw M33 is possible to lift or lower the head Q2 according to the direction in which the screw 93 is turned.
A container sealing gasket is@ is provided below each valve head 83, and each gasket is held in place by a displacer port disk E95 which is in turn held in place by a displacer pad The head it is provided with a depending lili, and the it@ is provided with an upstanding boss ii, and a screw ist extending throY-.igh an aperture n the boss i938 and threaded into a tap in the boss i2? serves to securely hold the pad 95 and the displacer port disk i525 in assembly on the underface of the valve head |88. lt will be apparent by reference to Figure 9 that the displacer port disks Ei also serve to hold the sealing gaskets 29:55 in place. A dowel extending through an aperture the valve head Hi8 and into sockets 23th provided in the under surface of the wear plate i3? and in the upper surface of the displacer port disk E95 serves to hold said wear plate and displacer port disk tive movement relative to the valve i Each valve head 183 is provided with a liquid port 235 extending in a generally horizontal direction toward the center' of the reservoir tank and in position for communicating with the respective liquid feed duct Hifi of said tank. The port 295 also includes a portion which turns upwardly through the center of the head and in line with the axisof the respective valve rotor i535 so as to always communicate with the center liquid port Ei therein. -The valve head it also has an air, vacuum and liquid now port 2te which extends vertically therethrough to one side of the center, and also a vacuum port 2i?? having a generally horizontal portion extending toward the tank center in position for communicating with the respective vacuum and drain duct 43 of the reservoir tank and including an upwardly directed portion extending through the upper surface of the valve head in position ior communieating at times with the vacuum port 2M of the valve rotor EBS. Each valve head also has an aufliary vacuum bore or port 2cd extending through the lower and upper surfaces thereof. It is to be understood that the wear plate icl is provided with a plurality of circular bores, one for registering with each of the port portions M5, 2&5, 2S? and Eii opening through the top face of the valve head 88 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 9 and 13 of the drawings.
The formation of the displacer port disk is best illustrated in Figures '7, 9, 11, 13, l? and, 18 from which it will be apparent that each said disk is equipped with an auxiliary vacuum bore or port its and a bore 22) extending through the uppe surface thereof and opening at its lower end into a narrow, long arcuate slot 2 l I extending through the periphery of the disk in the manner best illustrated in Figures 17 and 18 and serving as a Vacuum and liquid dow passage. The peculiar shaping or this passage makes it possible to serve its vacuum drawing and liquid flowing purposes efficiently and without danger of parts of the container fill engaging in and clogging said duct or opening.
It will be apparent by reference to Figures 'l through 14 of the drawings that by rotating the valve rotors E36 over the wear plates ES?, the several ports and passages described in detail hereinabove can be brought into cooperative cornmunication for irst vacuumizing the containers, then flowing in the main body of the syrup or other liquid, then drawing an auxiliary vacuum to draw off residual air and surplus liquid to assure illling of the containers to the extent permitted by the particular displacement of the pad and disk i and 55, after which the containers can be opened to atmosphere.
Valve actuating means The means for indexing the individual valve rotors 35 as the turret structure is being continuously rotated on its support is best illustrated in Figures l, 3, 9, 1l and 13. A spring pressed plunger 2 i2 extending downwardly through each of the valve drive spindles E83 and engaged in a socket Zi in the top portion of the respective valve rotor serves to yieldably press the said rotor in seal contact against the underlying v-.vear plate iii?, ai also to center said valve rotor. A star wheel actuator Mii is mounted on each spindle 283, having hub spline secured to the top o1" die. Each of theV actuators Ela vis equippec with four equidistantly spaced actuator fingers, three of which designated iii; are arranged in a common horizontal plane, and the fourth of which, designated Zit, is disposed in an individual, lower plane. As the turret is continuously rotated, the fingers of the several actuator members 2id move past and contact actuator rollers, and upon each roller contact, the contacting actuator 2W is indexed 90 so as to impart a 90 movement to the respective valve rotor E85 about its center. Each star wheel actuator 2id has a detent plate 2li secured to the under surface of its hub, and each detent plate is provided with a plurality of recesses corresponding to the positions to which the valve rotors are indexed and which are engageable with spring pressed detents 258 mounted in their respective valve head bearing projections and serving to yieldably hold the valve rotors in the positions to which they are indexed. A nut 2i tire-aded on each spindle i 33 serves to hold the respective star wheel actuator 2id in place thereon, and a lift knob 22] secured to the top of each spring pressed plunger ZlE inalres it possible to readily displace the plungers when it is d red to remove the valve rotors it. When a given ,nung-er 2 l2, has been lifted, it is a simple matter to slide the respective valve rotor laterally in a nia-nner for separating the tongue and groove connection |85, i813 with the respective spindle head. Each spindle head has a pin 225 projecting downwardly therefrom into a receiving recess 222 formed in the top of the respective valve rotor i815, and these pin and recess connections asssure the assembly of the rotors and the valve heads in proper cooperative relation.
At three equidistantly spaced points about the frame base, support standards 223 are secured to said base in the manner best illustrated in Figures l and 25 o the drawings. Said standards have relatively mova le sections which are adjustable as to height by manipulation of adjuster screws 225i. The standards E23 support brackets 225 which extend radially inwardly and serve as supports for a mounting ring rIhree clamp brackets 22? are adjustably secured on the mounting ring 22d, and each said bracket supports a star wheel actuator positioning roller. The roller which is effective to shi t the valve rotor from the number two to the number three position is designated 228. The roller which is effective to shift the valve rotor from the number three to the number four p sition is designated 229 and the roller which is effective to shift the valve rotor from tie number four position to the number one position is designated 239. The other actuator roller Edi which shifts the valve rotor from the number one position to the number two position is not adjustably mounted, but is vertically movable and forms a part of no container-no nil mechanism which will now be described in detail. It will be apparent that by adjusting the positions of the brackets il? and the actuator rollers 22S, 22g and carried thereby it is possible to vary the timing ol the valve indexing and the periods over which the valve will remain their several adjusted positions. 'in this manner it is possible to varyr the timing duration of the main evacuation of the containers, the iniiowing of liquid during the main nil, the auxiliary evacuation of containers and the drawing oi nil surplus, and also the opening of the containers to atmosphere.
No container-no fill control As previously' stated, each time one of the valve actuator star wheels 2 ill engages one of the rollers. 228, 223, 23@ and 2.3!, the particular valve rotor will be indexed a quarter-turn. The no container-no nll control. device is best illustrated in Figures l, G and S) or the drawings from which it will be apparent that the roller 23S is vertin cally reciprocable in a bearing hub i232 formed on a bracket 33 which is secured beneath the mounting ring 22@ in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 6 and 9. The bracket is equipped with bearing ears 231i which rockably support the bell crank lever 235. One arm of the bell crank lever is connected with the roller 23E as at 23e, and the other arm of the lever is connected by an upright thrust rod 23? with an arm 2318 of a bell crank actuator. The bell crank actuator is pivoted as at 23d on a bracket 2li@ which is supported on the feed table framing le in the manner illustrated in Figure 6. The other arm 265i of the bell crank actuator extends uprightly adjacent the rounding up turret or half mold idd and has an arcuate cam plate 2&2 adiustably mounted thereon in the manner illustrated in Figure 6 in position for being displaced by each container as it is being rounded up by the respective turret pocket 2'! and the engaging rounding up pocket E63 of the turret illl. Outward displacement of the arm Eel by container contact serves to depress the rod 23's and effect a lifting or actuator roller 23! into the effective position illustrated in Figure 9. In side effective position, the roller 23E will be engaged by the low level finger ZIB or the passing star wheel actuator 2 lil to impart an indexing movement to the respective valve rotor it.
From the foregoing it will be obvious that unless a container is in position on a` turret pad id so that it will displace the control arm 2M in the manner above described and eirect a lifting of the roller 23S into the effective position shown in Figure 9, said roller will remain in its ineiiective, lowered position in when the low level star wheel finger 2id will pass thereover without contacting the same. lt will also be apparent that unless the low level nger l on a given filler head unit is indexed by contact with the roller 23i, said ringer 2id will remain in the outwardly projected position, and all of the remaining high level fingers 2HE will be out or position for contacting any of the remaining rollers 228, 22S and 232. Thus the particular unit beneath which no container is supported will be moved about the whole lling cycle without being active to either draw a vacuum or deliver syrup. lNhe-n the particular pad i8 again comes into position for receiving a container and a container is deposited tl ereon, the associated filler head will function normally during the ensuing cycle or the vacuumizing and syruping operation.
Reservoir tank Zeoel control The means for assuring the provision or" a proper level of liquid in the reservoir tank i3d best illustrated in Figures 2l and 22. Upon trarne standard 2433 disposed at one side or" the nie-chine is mounted a supporting arin Belli, said n extending radi ly over the tanirin manner clearly illustrated in Figure 22. A. supply valvel generally designated is supported at the iree end oi said arm directly over the center ci the tank 34. The valve comprises a body 2&5 and a cover section 2li? rernovably secured to the body section as at A diaphragm is secured between the sections 26 and 2111, and a valve element 250 is attached to the diaphragm so as to be lifted and lowered thereby, away from or into contact with the seats 25| provided in the lower valve section 25.
When the valve 25e is lifted by upward movement of the diaphragm 2de from the non-operating position shown in Figure 2l by evacuation of the space above the diaphragm, the seats 25! are uncovered and liquid is permitted to ilcw through the valve discharge from a supply duct 252 (Figure 22) and into a supply pipe 253 depending from the valve body. At its lower end the pipe 253 is provided with a drain cover supportinga member 251i having a loose, lost motion couple 255 with the drain cover |31. When the parts are in the normal position illustrated in Figure 2l, liquid is free to flow into the tank i313 about the loose couple 255, assuming, of course, that the valve element 2&3 has been unseated, and when the arm 21316 is loosened on the supporting standard 2553 and lifted to enable cleansing of the tanl; r for other reasons, the upwardly moving support member 254 will lift the drain cover |31 to permit draining away of any liquid remaining in the tank, and also for making the bottom of the tank fully accessible.
A compression spring 25e constantly tends to hold the valve member 25:3 on the seats 25|. An actuator rod 251 passing upwardly through a gland 258 has a slot and pin connection as at 259 with the diaphragm and is connected at its upwardly extending end with an eccentric head Zi formed on a hand lever which may be turned in engagement with the removable bonnet 25| for effecting a manual lifting of the diaphragm and the connected valve member 259. The slot and pin connection 25S permits upward and downward movement of the diaphragm independently or" the manual control of the rod 251.
A vacuum duct 262 is provided in the valve section 2121 above the diaphragm 25.9, and said duct is connected by a pipe 263 with a duct 26d disposed to intersect the uprightly disposed plunger bore 255 formed in the control valve 262 which is removably mounted as at 251 on the supporting arm 2M, A plunger 253 is vertically reciprocable in the bore 2te, and said plunger is equipped with an annular recess 259 effective as the plunger is lifted or lowered to open or close vacuum source communication through the duct 25d. An air port 21B is provided in the control valve 262 above the duct 254, and a bleed groove 2li is provided in the plunger 25B in position for communicating between the duct 264 and the air port 2li) whenever the plunger is in its lowered position.
At its lower end, the plunger 228 is link connested as at 2'l2with the short end 213 of an actuator lever 214 which is pivoted intermediate its end as at 2'i5 on an extension 216 from the valve 252. The valve 266 also has a valve chamber 211 and a valve 21B vertically reciprocable therein and effective to permit or prevent vacuum communication through said chamber with the vacuum duct 26:2. The stem 280 of the valve 2'53 extends downwardly and has pin and recess connection as at 25| with a snap member 282 which is pivoted at 283 at one end on a support 285 extending from the valve 25S. At its other end, the snap member 232 is pivoted to a spring toggle link 285 which is connected at its other end to the support 28d. The lever end 213 has an extension 23% which is operable between two vertically spaced pins 28? projecting from the Y of the reservoir tank |36.
snap member, and the free end of the lever portion 213 has a fork connection at 288 with a iioat 289 surrounding the supply pipe 253 at the center A vacuum line 29B is connected with the duct Z and with a suitable vacuum source, preferably the vacuumizing chamber in the vacuumizing and closing machine to which the containers are delivered from the syruping machine forming the subject matter of the present disclosure.
It will be apparent that each time the float 289 falls to a predetermined position indicating an insuilicient level of syrup or other liquid in the tank i3d, the upward movement of the lever end 213 will serve to shift the snap member to the elevated position illustrated in Figure 2l, closing the valve M3 and lifting the plunger 265 to open communication between the space above the diaphragm 25e and the vacuum line 29B through the duct 251i. The evacuation of the section 2Q? of the valve 2Ll5 will lift the diaphragm and unseat the valve member 2.5i?, thereby permitting syrup or other liquid to flow through the supply duct 252 and the supply pipe 253 into the tank |34. rWhen the supply or liquid in the tank |32. reaches a proper level the float 229 will have been lifted to effect a depression oi the lever end 213 suiiicient to move the plunger 258 downwardly and cause the snap member 232 to reverse its position and unseat the Valve 212. The lowering of the plunger 25S will cut off the vacuum source and open the pipe 25.53 and the space above the diaphragm 2id to atmosphere through the bleed duct 21| and the air port 21S,
Container stop control The means for preventing the feeding of conn tainers into the machine when the supply of syrup or liquid is exhausted or dangerously low, or when the vacuum source in the vacuumizing and closing machine to which treated containers are to be fed from the syruping machine is iii-- adequate is best shown in Figures 21 and 22. The stop control generally designated I and previously referred to comprises a cylinder 29| having a piston 222 reciprocably mounted therein. The piston is connected as at 223 with a stop gate 291i disposed in the manner somewhat diagrammatically illustrated Figure l so that when it is extended across the ieedway over which containers are fed into the machine, it will prevent the infeeding of containers. A spring 295 constantly tends to force the piston in a direction for placing the gate in a feed stopping position. A duct 29s connects the cylinder 29| with the chamber 211 ci the control valve 2555, and whenever the valve 218 is open, as it will be whenever there is a proper level of syrup or other liquid in the tank i3d, the duct 256 and the cylinder 29| behind the piston 252 will be evacuated through the vacuum line 2%, thereby holding the gate in the open position against ac tion of the spring 2%5. In other words, whenever there is a proper level of liquid in the tank |3l and a proper vacuum in the line 2st, the feed stop gate 294 will be displaced so as not to inter fere with the infeeding oi containers.
In Figure 21 of the drawings the syrup or liquid supply control devices are .shown in the position which would prevail when a days run of the syruping machine has been completed, or when the machine is not in operation. The iloat 289 is in the fully lowered position and since the Vacuum line 29@ is not being evacuated, the
1 17 chamber above-the diaphragm 249 likewise willnot be evacuated and-the balanced valve 250 will b'eseated irl' the manner illustrated. The plunger` 268 is positioned with its annular passage 2li!!A disposed to communicate between the duct 263 and the line 29|).1 Thel valve 218 is closed, and obviously the container feed stop gate 294 is closed so asto prevent feedingof containers intoA the syruping machine.
Assuming that the machine operation is started and that-a vacuum isdrawn in the associated closing machine and in the vacuumline 290', the space above the diaphragm 249 will be evacuated through the conduit 263 sov as to effect a lifting of the' diaphragm and an opening of the" valve 259i to permit the syrup or other liquid to enter the tank |34; I y Y As the liquid flows into thetank |34 it raises-the iioat 289 which inturn aotuates the leyer 214, 213r` so as toA move the snap member 2-82 downwardly past dead center and effect an opening ofv the'valve 218-. The opening of the valve 218;-
brings about an evacuation of the line 296 and brings about a shifting of the gate 2184'to the-outof-the-way position in which it willv permit the infeeding ofcontainers into the syruping machine. During normal operation of the syruping machine, the syrup or liquid feed controloperates in the manner previously described.
Operation AssumingY that there isi a-v proper level of syrup or other` liquid inthe reservoir tank |3 and that' there is a proper vacuumv in the line 230, preferably leading to the vacuurnizing andvclosing machine into'which thecontainers are to be fed? after leaving thesyruping machine, the con-Y tainer feed-in stop gate 294 will be inthe operi position andthe' disk. 53 and the chains passing' over the sprockets SI5-,4 and 69,61 will feed con-V tainers'over the entrancefeedway' under the con`v trol of the timing screw 13'. The timing screw 13'will properly' space the containers to be picked up'y by the turret 15' and deposited thereby onto' the supporting pads |8 of the continuously rotaiaing turret structure. The pad lifting cam 24 is so' shaped` that. the-liftingl of the pads commences shortly before the point of tangency of the feed turret 15 and the pitchl circle ofthe supporting pads I8 has beenreached. The final lifting of the containers by the pads- IS-is-effected just as the half moldV |34and therespective pad 4I8 are on center. The `final lifting of the pad pl-aces'the upper end of thefcornt'ai'ner in seal contact against the gasket |911 of the respective nll'er unit. As each container moves into the fully lifted position, it displaces the cam 242and effects a lifting of the roller 23| into its eifective position illustrated inFi'gurB'. As' was previously described, when no container' is supported on a pad I8, the roller 23| will not be lifted'and the particular filler unit will proceed through the whole ofA the syrupingv cycle in an ineffective' condition. I
As a given filler unit a1'9pr"c` a ':li'esl the actuator roller 23|the valve otorh|86 thereof will be' in the number one position illustrated inFigures" 7 and 8 of the drawings. In this position, the ducts i2 |35l and 210| will beiilled with liquid but Will not be in communication with the' interior o f" the sealed container. The interior ofthe sealed con= 4tainer will be open tovatmosphere through. the slotl 2|| and bore 2|0 inthe displacer port ldisk |95, the port 206 in the Vvalve headv |88` andthe rotor port 2114. As th" lovv-v level 'star' finger 2I6 engages the roller 23|- thvalve rotor |86 willVV be indexed'one quarter-turn te positionthegrotor" in the manner illustrated in Figures 9 kand 1`,;orf in other wcrds,= to place theval-ve-'in its vnumbe'r' two position. L Inthis position, the val-Ve Dort 26| remains inY communication with thesyrup supply duct but there is rno communicationl `between these ducts and the interiorv of the con ta-iner. AVThen vacuum duct 2713"!v which communicates'with the reservoir;tank duct |43,- the pipe- |38. the vacuum duct I {I2-andthe trap tank- HIS is" in oonimunication with the interior. of thecontainer through the valve prt 202, the head port ZandV the displacer disk port 2|0,2| thereby tordraw @highvacuum in the container. As the;
evacuated container. The syrup or liquidiiows' through the tank passage |44, the registering? head passageh 2l5,v the valve rotor port 2ll, the head portu2|l6 and the displacer disk portingfZ I'Il, 2||u into the container. swas'previously ex--` plained,- thev tank |34 is open to atmopshere, and therefore thesyrup rapidly flows into the container by atmospheric airpressure augmented by Yemi/ity ,flew- Y As the filler unitA approachesA the roller 229, the then projected high` level star wheel finger 215lv engagessaid roller andlimpart's" an indeiing movement oftothe valve rotor I8|v to move the same to thenurnber four position shown in Figures 13l and 14, but/Lat the time this position isreahedbythe filler head, the container' will havejbeen filled-except for the resistance f they residual air` remaining in thecontainer head space. In other words,., before the unit reaches the AI iuljnberfeur position, the syrup" or other liquid vflows intoy the container until the pressure of residual yair thereinv prevents additional fi Ihe'previouslydescribed'registationlof tlisy 4 p new duct um,l 2'05, 2m, 2 fo arid 2 is: maintained and i';heauxiliary vacuum drawing portingA is n'ow open. 'Ihus the aluiiliaiyfva'ci'l will b''draw'n through th respetivvacu duct U13y and the other portsand'p'assages nowin'pen communi# cation witri trie interior of' thecontainer; knai-fiery une valve Head port annule vaive'roto'r port- 203; the valve head: port 20s; ,andy thefd1sp1acefj-pcre disk' pit.. This` auxiliary eva'ouatolif of` the container' will' servefto draw off the residualy air, and'syru'p or other'liduid suicientto coi'nple'tely'4 filly the container to the' extent permitted by' the-r projection thereinto of the displacer porti andA dispiacerpadfwiunew int'otne container 1:; theV manner previously' described. Anyfsurplus of fill willl` be drawny off tlnt'mg'hl the previously de'- scribed'auidliaryvacuuin drawingfp'crtsand ducts' into the'tar'l'k" SuiIp 4 |136` and tl'ioligh the"A pipe" |533 and vacuum-'duct |42' intothetraptank I 45A from afnemen-win be' tras'ferred'into the drain-taria |51 byv rotation f'A the valve' |58f-in th'eriarine previously Vdesfznlfecia it isr to' be* understoodutiiat sincey the voidsr in the fill ina co1itaine will4 vary" considerably, the length? of timethe` val-ve rotor is' left-m the nutrie berfourY position will beset' foi' thenia-iir'riuii' expectant amount of container voids in ordel to*
US689864A 1946-08-12 1946-08-12 Siruping machine and method for siruping filled containers Expired - Lifetime US2546418A (en)

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Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2700495A (en) * 1950-02-09 1955-01-25 American Can Co Method of and apparatus for filling cans to a uniform liquid level
US2947323A (en) * 1955-05-06 1960-08-02 Becker Lyman Flush valve control for plumbing fixtures
DE1100542B (en) * 1956-04-16 1961-02-23 Smidth & Co As F L Device for filling valve bags
DE1121990B (en) * 1954-09-07 1962-01-11 Pneumatic Scale Corp Filling machine working with vacuum
DE1128354B (en) * 1954-09-07 1962-04-19 Pneumatic Scale Corp Filling machine working with vacuum
DE1141218B (en) * 1954-09-07 1962-12-13 Pneumatic Scale Corp Filling machine working with vacuum
US3139914A (en) * 1960-11-30 1964-07-07 D W Bingham And Company Propri Syruping apparatus for use in connection with the canning of fruit, vegetables and other food products
US3552453A (en) * 1968-06-24 1971-01-05 Fmc Corp Method and apparatus for filling containers
US4530202A (en) * 1982-01-18 1985-07-23 Aci Australia Limited Container filling machine and method

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1117346A (en) * 1911-04-20 1914-11-17 Fred G Dickerson Can-filling machine.
US1998462A (en) * 1933-07-03 1935-04-23 American Can Co Art of liquid filling
US2070616A (en) * 1934-01-19 1937-02-16 American Can Co Liquid filling machine
US2124581A (en) * 1933-11-28 1938-07-26 American Can Co Can filling machine
US2136421A (en) * 1933-11-15 1938-11-15 Pneumatic Scale Corp Container filling machine
US2315255A (en) * 1942-03-02 1943-03-30 Maui Pineapple Company Ltd Can filling machine
US2670302A (en) * 1949-11-15 1954-02-23 Eastman Kodak Co Stabilized cellulose ester composition and process of preparing it

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1117346A (en) * 1911-04-20 1914-11-17 Fred G Dickerson Can-filling machine.
US1998462A (en) * 1933-07-03 1935-04-23 American Can Co Art of liquid filling
US2136421A (en) * 1933-11-15 1938-11-15 Pneumatic Scale Corp Container filling machine
US2124581A (en) * 1933-11-28 1938-07-26 American Can Co Can filling machine
US2070616A (en) * 1934-01-19 1937-02-16 American Can Co Liquid filling machine
US2315255A (en) * 1942-03-02 1943-03-30 Maui Pineapple Company Ltd Can filling machine
US2670302A (en) * 1949-11-15 1954-02-23 Eastman Kodak Co Stabilized cellulose ester composition and process of preparing it

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2700495A (en) * 1950-02-09 1955-01-25 American Can Co Method of and apparatus for filling cans to a uniform liquid level
DE1121990B (en) * 1954-09-07 1962-01-11 Pneumatic Scale Corp Filling machine working with vacuum
DE1128354B (en) * 1954-09-07 1962-04-19 Pneumatic Scale Corp Filling machine working with vacuum
DE1141218B (en) * 1954-09-07 1962-12-13 Pneumatic Scale Corp Filling machine working with vacuum
US2947323A (en) * 1955-05-06 1960-08-02 Becker Lyman Flush valve control for plumbing fixtures
DE1100542B (en) * 1956-04-16 1961-02-23 Smidth & Co As F L Device for filling valve bags
US3139914A (en) * 1960-11-30 1964-07-07 D W Bingham And Company Propri Syruping apparatus for use in connection with the canning of fruit, vegetables and other food products
US3552453A (en) * 1968-06-24 1971-01-05 Fmc Corp Method and apparatus for filling containers
US4530202A (en) * 1982-01-18 1985-07-23 Aci Australia Limited Container filling machine and method

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