US2559242A - Container filling apparatus with automatically timed filling and conveyer movement means - Google Patents

Description

July 3, 1951 w. J. BOEGLY ET AL NG APPARATUS WITH AUTOMAT CONVEYER MOVEMENT M 2,559,242 ICALLY TIMED EANS CONTAINER FILLI FILLING AND 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 19, 1946 log 99 93 92 9| 9O FIG. 2

3 r u F INVENTORS wn u M J a c 5325 Es PB 1'1 ELDR D s N T Y July 3, 1951 w. J. BOEGLY ET AL 4 CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS WITH AUTOMATICALLY TIMED FILLING AND CONVEYER MOVEMENT MEANS Filed Oct. 19, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 3, 1951 CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS WITH AUTOMATICALLY TIMED FILLING AND CONVEYER MOVEMENT MEANS William J. Boegly, Mason, and Eldred C. Bennett,

Robert S. Morrison, and Charles Powell, Detroit, Mich, assignors to Sterling Drug Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October 19, 1946, Serial No. 704,374

This invention relates to an automatic machine for filling containers with a fluent material, and it relates particularly to a type thereof which will automatically measure the amount of such material which is placed into each container and which will so operate in timed relationship with a conveyor.

In providing a machine for automatically filling a plurality of containers, carried by a suitable conveyor means, with a predetermined volume of fluent material, there is presented a Wide variety of problems which have been heretofore handled in a variety of ways. These ways have, however, so far as We are aware, involved extremely complicated mechanisms,'which have required an intricate assemblage of levers, gears, cams or other mechanical parts, and which mechanisms were both expensive in their original construction and correspondingly expensive to maintain. It is accordingly desirable to provide a machine departing substantially from the prior constructions, which machine will carry a plurality of containers on a conveyor, successively place into said containers a controlled quantity of fluent material, do so under fully sterile conditions if desired, and then pass said bottles on to other means, such as suitable sterilizing means and/or container closure means.

It is particularly desirable to carry out these operations by means which will be rapid enough to satisfy the requirements of high production, but Will also be highly accurate in order that minimum volumetricrequirements may be rigidly satisfied without the necessity of using excessive overruns with the consequent undue consumption of material.

Accordingly, a primary object of our invention is to provide an automatic machine for filling a plurality of containers with a predetermined and accurately dispensed quantity of fluent material with sufiicient rapidity to satisfy the requirements of production operation.

A further object of our invention is to provide a machine as aforesaid which is equipped with suitable means for maintaining fully sterile conditions in and about the filling mechanism.

A further object of our invention is to provide a machine as aforesaid which can be constructed economically and yet is strong and durable.

A further object of our invention is to provide a machine as aforesaid whose operations can be viewed completely and whose working parts are readily accessible. I

Other objects and purposes will be apparen to persons acquainted with equipment of this type 5 Claims. (01. 226-95) upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.

General In providing a, machine to meet the objects and purposes above set forth, We have created a mechanism with an intermittently driven conveyor belt which carries one, or more rows, of containers through a filling station. Electrically driven means are provided for stopping said containers in a predetermined relationship with respect to filling nozzles. Other properly synchronized and electrically driven means open valves to permit the passage of fluid material into said containers and then close said valves when a predetermined amount of fluid material has passed into said containers, after which the conveyor may deliver the containers to other desired stations. Such stations may, for example, involve sterilization, closure, sealing or other similar operations. In the embodiment of our invention, selected for specific illustration, these stations are shown arranged together along a single conveyor,

and such has proved to be by far the most convenient and economical construction. However, it should be understood that if desired for other reasons these stations may be arranged separately and may even be arranged on separate machines Without departing from the scope and spirit of some aspects of our invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of our improved apparatus.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side view of the bottle filling portion of our apparatus taken from the side opposite that appearing in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial section taken on the line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section and plan view beginning at the section indicated by the line IV-IV in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged central section of one form of the flow controlling valve and discharge nozzle.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan View of the flow discharge nozzle.

Figure 7 is a partially schematic plan View of the rightward end of our machine, as appearing in Figure 1, showing only the moving parts thereof together with the electrical switches.

Figure 8 is a detail of a part of theconveyor driving means.

Figure 9 is a diagram of the electrical system of the machine.

a preferred embodiment of our device, there appears a table 1 supported by suitable legs 2 which may be of any convenient, construction. The table I is placed at a convenient working height so that containers may be placed onto and removed from said table conveniently, by an operator standing alongside of it. While our invention may be applied to a machine adapted for handling any type of container, for purposes of illustration the particular machine shown in the drawings is designed for handling bottles of a conventional type. illustratively referred to as the containers concerned with the express understanding that this reference does not limit the scope or adaptability of the invention. As appearing in Figure 3, a conveyor belt 3 is supported by the upper surface of said table, or within a guiding trough provided within said table, and runs the full length thereof. Suitable means, such as the rolls 4 and 5, Figure 1 are located at each end of the said table to drive the conveyor belt 3. Suitable mechanism hereinafter described in more detail is provided for intermittently rotating said rolls by which the conveyor belt is moved in timed relationship with the action of the bottle filling mechanism. I

Hereinafter, it will be assumed that the leftward end of the table, as appearing in Figure 1, is the end of the device receiving empty bottles and that the rightward end of the device, as appearing in Figure 1, is the end from which filled bottles are discharged. Hence, said leftward end may be referred to as the receiving end, and said rightward end may be referred to as the discharge end.

The general arrangement The leftward portion A of the machine comprises a bottle receiving and filling compartment, the middle portion B comprises a sterilizing compartment and ordinarily it is here that caps are placed by hand loosely on the. bottles, and the rightward portion C comprises the compartment in which capsare firmly set onto thebottles.

' Covering the entire device there is a canopy 10 which is supported, and suitably compartmented, by a pair of end members 12 and by the partitions 13 and .85. These partitions are preferably made of sheets of a transparent material, such as Lucite which may be of the shape shown in Figure 11, or any other convenient shape. The sheets l4, I5, 16, 11 and [8 in Figure 3, comprising the sides and top of the canopy, are bonded to the partition edges in any convenient manner, such as by cementing. An arched dome 19 made of opaque material having a reflective under side, such as stainless steel, provides a chamber immediately above the top central canopy panel 16. One or more tubes H, which may be of the fluorescent illuminating type, only, or may be of the mercury-vapor type for sterilization purposes also are mounted within said chamber in any convenient manner, of which detailsv are not shown. Any standard type of tube having such function is suitable, and one that is particularly satisfactory is the Sperti ultra- I-Iereinafter, bottles will be violet lamp sold by Sperti, Inc. of Cincinnati, Ohio, under the trade-name of Mercolito. Such lamps are energized from the power circuit of the machine through a conventional transformer and other conventional equipment for the purpose.

The sterilizing tubes should be placed at least over the filling and the capping sections of the conveyor, but may in some circumstances be desirably placed along its entire length. 7

There is provided at the receiving end of the table any suitable opening through the end portion or the canopy (not shown) for the passage onto the conveyor of bottles to be filled. Such passage may be accomplished by hand or by proper association of a suitable feeding conveyor.

Spaced a short distance from the receiving end of the conveyor and above the associated table is y the actual bottle filling mechanism. Such spacing from said receiving end provides a working area in which bottles may be suitably placed onto the conveyor belt and, if desired, certain preliminary steps, such as cleaning with compressed air, may be performed. The amount of such space is optional and will depend entirely upon the use of the machine.

Each of the partitions has a cut-out section 8! (see Figure 11) with the approximate contour of the bottles to be filled. This cut-out section is made to fit as closely as possible to the largest size of bottle which the particular filling mechanism is intended to handle and the machine is then supplied with suitable adapters, which may be fixed to the partition in any convenient manner, as by screws, for adapting the size of the cut-out opening to smaller sized bottles when desired;

The compartment B of the machine, immediately following the filling station, may be utilized for placing caps loosely onto the bottles. Access to said bottles is gained through the opening 82 in the side of the canopy which opening is provided with curtains 83 and 84 made of any convenient transparent material such as Pliofilm. The caps are manually placed on the bottles by an operator who reaches through the opening 82 and watches the operation through the portion of the transparent canopy'immediately surrounding said opening.

From compartment B the bottles pass through the partition 85 into the bottle capping compartment C and to the capping mechanism indicated generally at 80. Here the caps may be fixed firmly to the bottles by any convenient equipment, which may be conventional. Said bottles are then discharged either for manual collection at the discharge end of the machine or for transport by another conveyor to other means such as a labeling or packaging machine.

The filling mechanism The filling mechanism is held by a platform [2 through a pair of supports NJ and H as shown in Figure 2. Said platform receives the supports l0 and I I into suitable openings within itself and is vertically and slidably adjustable thereon. The stops l3 and M are provided to limit the travel of said platform on said supports. Any suitable means (not shown) such as a set screw suitably associated with said platform for operation against one or both of said supports maybe supplied to hold said platform in a selected position with respect to said supports. This platform is built substantially in a U-shape as illustrated in Figure 4. A pair of rods l5 and l6 extend across the opening of the U and provide support for the hereinafter mentioned valve cylinders 30. Mounted onto the forward part of said platform and between the supports H3 and II are a pair of bearing brackets 20 and 2|. Pivotally mounted onto these brackets is a pair of levers 22 and 23 which support at their respective unpivoted ends a rod 24. Engaging this rod is a core 25 operatively connected with the solenoid 26 for reciprocating motion as said slenoid is energized and deenergized. It may conveniently be constructed so that the energizing of the solenoid coil lifts the core 25 against gravity and when said coil is deenergized the rod moves downward in response to gravity.

Between the bearing brackets 23 and 2| is eccentrically mounted a substantially cylindrical cam member 2! which is so connected through said bearing brackets to the lever members 22 and 23 that said cam member is partially rotated on its axis of mounting as said levers are arcuately moved on their respective pivot points in response to the reciprocation of the core 25. A preferred and simple way of accomplishing this is to mount the cam 21 onto a shaft supported by said bearing brackets and to extend said shaft to the levers 22 and 23 to provide the mounting means therefor.

A selected plurality, here four, of valve cylinders 33 are arranged immediately behind said cam and above the conveyor belt 3. These valve cylinders are arranged, as best shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, so that the bottles moving along the table on said conveyor will be positioned under the discharge nozzles of the said cylinders to receive the fluent material with which such bottles are to be filled. The material being directed into the bottles, is fed through the cylinders 313 from any convenient source, such as the reservoir 3| mounted directly over said valve cylinders, which are, supported by the cross bars l and I6, and held against movement with respect to the cam mechanism by any suitable clamping device ISA Figure 3. Said cylinders are held against lateral movement with respect to each other in a direction parallel to said rods also by said clamping arrangement as well as by their connection to the reservoir 3|. This particular means of mounting is intended for use with but one predetermined size of bottle due to the relatively sized positioning of the discharge conduits between the reservoir and the several valve cylinders with respect to each other. However, other mounting means are conceivable and if employed will not constitute any departure from the spirit and scope of the herein disclosed invention. Such spacing can be varied by replacing the reservoir 3| with another reservoir having discharge outlets appropriately spaced for reception of the conduits 33 Figures 3 and 5 connecting said discharge outlets to their respective valve cylinders at a desirable spacing for the particular size of bottle to be filled. Since the size of the reservoir will normally change with the capacity of the bottles. The change in spacing of the discharge outlets may be effected in this one changing operation and thereby avoid any unreasonable delay or inconvenience.

A more detailed illustration of the construction of one form of the said valve cylinder 30 is shown in Figure 5 as comprising a body member 35 having therein an internal opening 36 of a relatively large diameter, a coaxial opening 31 of intermediate diameter and another coaxial openin 38 of a relatively small diameter. That which would otherwise be a sharp circular edge at the junction of the central openings 36 and 31 is chamfered to form a valve seat 39. An inlet opening ill is provided and suitably threaded for the reception of the inlet conduit 33 into the large chamber provided by the opening 36. Another opening ll suitably threaded is provided for the reception of the outlet conduit 32 and effects its communication with the chamber provided by the intermediate central opening 31. A suitable enlargement 45 of the opening 38 is provided and threaded at least at its outward end for purposes appearing hereinafter. A cap 46 closing the end of the chamber provided by the relatively large opening 36, is affixed to the body member in any convenient manner, as by suitable stud bolts, and contains a cylindrical recess 4? extending partavay therethrough and coaxial with the said relatively large opening 36.

The valve and valve support are comprised of a straight, slidable rod 53 upon which a valve 5! may be affixed either separably or integrally. The respective ends of the valve rod 59 are slidably supported by the walls of the bores 47 and 38 so that said valve 5! may be securely seated onto the valve seat 39. The mid-portion 52 of said valve rod 58 may be reduced diameter to provide for freer passage of fluid through the chamber provided by the intermediate bore.

The opening constitutes a stufiing box surrounding the valve rod which stuffing box contains any suitable packing material 54 and may be closed by a screw-type gland 55. The outer end of said valve rod is threaded as indicated at 55 and receives threadedly thereon a cam contact 51 and a jam nut 58. The spring 53 sleeved on the rod 5! and compressed between the valve 5i and cap '25 tends to keep said valve seated against 39.

In operation the cam contacts are adjusted on the valve rod 50 to the proper position for efiective cooperation with the cam member 27 and then locked in such position by the said jam nut 58.

The discharge conduit terminates in a head having a flat underside fil and a discharge open-l ing 62, which opening is surrounded by an annular groove 63. This groove functions to break the surface adhesion between the liquid being dispensed and the bottom surface 6! of the dis pensing head 6!! so that no drop will form or remain on said surface when the flow of fluid is terminated. The groove must be sufiiciently close radially to the discharge opening 62 that any drop embraced wholly within the diameter of the groove will be either too small to be of concern or will by its surface tension be drawn back into the passageway terminating the said discharge opening. Thus, it is possible to utilize a substantially flat dispensing headby which the opening in the bottle may be covered, excepting for the slight clearance necessary between the upper extremity of the bottle and said bottom surface 6| in order that there may be relative movement therebetween, and yet no drops will form.

Afilxed alongside the support Iii Figures 2 and 3 is a solenoid housing 65. This contains a solenoid operating a bar 66 for selectively obstructing bottles being moved on the'conveyor 3. The mechanism may be constructed in any of several ways but preferably the action of the solenoid will be opposed by some convenient resilent means such as the spring 6'! bearing against the end 68,

of the said housing 65. In this arrangement the action of the spring retracts the bar 66 into the solenoid and away from its bottle blocking position, and energizing of the solenoid will cause the bar to extend into the bottle blocking position. This may be varied in many ways including having positive solenoid operation in each direction.

An alternative construction for a filling valve is shown in Figure 12. Here a body part I60 is provided with a large internal bore I6I an intermediate bore I62 coaxial therewith and a small bore I63 also coaxial with the two preceding named bores. The edge between the large and intermediate bores is chamfered to provide a valve seat I64. The outer end of the large bore is closed by a cap member I65 afiixed to the body part I66 in any convenient manner, as by stud bolts (not shown). A small counterbore I66 is provided for the reception of packing I61 and a compression ring I50. The valve I69 comprises a valve stem I16 and a valve head I1 I. Said stem is received into the small bore I 63 in a sliding fit for support and guidance, and said valve head I1I cooperates in the usual manner with said valve seat I64. The valve stem is threaded at its other end and receives an adjustable contact member I12 similar to, and for the same purpose as, the contact member 51 shown in Figure and a jam nut I13 similar to and for the same purposes as the jam nut 58 in Figure 5. A spring I14 surrounds the valve stem and is located between the jam nut I13 and the compression ring I68. The spring thus operates both to hold the valve normally closed, and also at all times to keep a positive pressure on said compression ring I68 and by it on the packing I61. An inlet passageway is provided into the valve body at I15 and an outlet passageway corresponding to the outlet passageway 4| shown in Figure 5 is provided at I16. This form of valve is mounted and operated in exactly the same manner as above described for the form shown in Figure 5.

The timing means Suitably located at any convenient point, but preferably near the discharge end of the conveyor is the conveyor driving and solenoid timing mechanism illustratedat the rightward end of the conveyor as appearing in Figure 1. Refer:

ring now to Figures 1 and 7 there is provided a motor 90 operating through a suitable belt or chain 9| to drive a reduction gear assembly within the gear box 92. Preferably, though not necessarily, a multi-speed belt and pulley arrangement is provided. From said gear box through a chain 93 there is driven a sprocket or pulley 94. This pulley is mounted on the shaft 95 (Figure 7) and causes said shaft to rotate in its supporting bearings 96 and 91. Said bearings are mounted in any suitable and convenient manner on the frame of the machine which includes in part the brace 96 (Figure 1) supporting the bearing 91 and the frame elements 99 supporting the bearing 96.

Mounted on one portion of said shaft is one group of switch controlling cams I00, and mounted on another portion of the shaft is another group of such cams IOI which will be described in more detail hereinafter. At one end of said shaft 95 and closely adjacent to the bearing 96 is the drive wheel I02 by which the rack I03 is caused to reciprocate.

The conveyor drive Any of several convenient mechanisms may be provided for imparting reciprocation to the rack I03- from the wheel I02, but one mechanism which has been found particularly useful is that illustrated in Figure 8 and hereinafter described. A pin I04 is mounted for radial adjustment in the wheel I02. Such adjustment may be by any convenient means such as a screw and block mechanism indicated generally at I05. The rocke I06 is pivotally mounted at I01 to vertically adjustable means 506 which in turn is mounted in any convenient manner to the base I09 of the machine. The means by which the part I 08 is caused to be vertically adjustable may be conventional and any of many types, such as the bolt and nut assembly shown. An elongated slot H0 is provided for receiving the pin I04 and permitting its reciprocation within said slot as the wheel I02 rotates. The reciprocating rack I63 is affixed to the rocker I06 by any convenient mechanism by which the point of attachment of said reciprocating rack to said rocker may be varied with respect to its distance from the pivot point I01. This may be done in any of several ways but one convenient method is by pivoting said reciprocating rack I03 at a point HI in a slidable block II2 which is received within a suitable guiding groove in the rocker I66 and held in a determinable position therein by a pin i I3 rotatably ailixed ther to, which pin is threadedly held in a block H4 affixed immovably with respect to the rocker I06.

The reciprocable rack I03 engages a gear H5 (Figures 1 and 7) which gear is mounted by a uni-directional clutch mechanism to the shaft H6. Said shaft is mounted in any convenient manner as by the bearings H1 and H8 which bearings are supported on the frame of the machine. At the end of the shaft I I6 is a pulley I !9, or sprocket, which is operatively engaged with a pulley or sprocket I20 by a belt or chain IZI. The pulley or sprocket I20 is mounted on a shaft I22 which is supported by bearings I26 and I24 mounted on the frame of the machine. The roll 4 (Figures 1 and '1) is mounted on the shaft I22 and drivingly supports the conveyor belt 3 whose position is indicated in dotted lines in Figure '7.

Thus as the main shaft rotates it will rotates the wheel I02 by which the reciprocating rack I03 is caused to reciprocate. This acting through the uni-directional drive associated with the gear I I5 will cause the shaft I I6 intermittently to rotate and through the mechanism above described cause the shaft I22 and the roll 4 similarly to rotate intermittently. Thus the conveyor belt 3 Will be given an intermittent uni-directional motion adjustable by suitable manipulation of the various adjustments described above as associated with the wheel I02 and the rocker I06. By such adjustments there may readily be secured any desired timing relationships of such uni-directional conveyor movement with respect to the rotation movement of the switch group I00 and the switch group I0 I.

The electrical circuit convenientvoltage and other characteristics, and

through a master switch I36 and a plurality of manually operable switches I31 in series, a potential is applied across a pair of terminals I38 and I39. The switches I31 are placed at spaced positions around the machine so that the operator can stop or start it immediately from any position. From these terminals there operate three circuits in parallel, namely, the motor circuit, the solenoid circuit and the ultra-violet light circuit. The motor circuit, for driving the conveyor, comprises the conductor I45 connecting the terminal I38 and one side of the motor 95 whose electrical characteristics are chosen according to the power required and the electrical source available. In a particular preferred embodiment, we use a rnotor of H. P., 1725 R. P. M., single ph., 60 cycle. From the other side of the motor the conductor I4I provides connection through the motor switch I42 to the terminal I39.

The solenoid circuit comprises a conductor I43 leading from the terminal I38 to the terminal I 54 of the selector switch I55. While this switch may be of any kind convenient for connecting selected pairs of circuits as hereinafter shown, one usable type is the conventional rotary switch havingtwo spiral contacts I5! and I52 both electrically connected to the terminal I5 1. While any number of circuits may be used within the physical limits of a given machine, we have utilized three for illustrative purposes here. Two sets of contacts, I44, I45, I45 and I41, I48, I49 are provided in such relation to the spiral contacts I5I and I52 that selective positioning thereof will connect the terminal I54 to a selected one from each of said contact groups, as I44 and I 41.

These are then connected to micro-switches I44a, l le'a, Idea, Mm, 58a and Mlia, respectively. One group of said micro-switches, as M ld, MM, and I451, is connected to one side of the bottle filling solenoid 2t and the other group of micro-switches M'la, I480; and MM is connected to one side of the bottle stopping solenoid 65. The other sides of each of the solenoids are connected to the terminal I39. The cams I00 and I6! are arranged to open and close the micro-switches in proper timed relation to the movement of the conveyor to carry out the operations as hereinafter described. All cams may operate at all times but by reason of the selector switch only one pair of micro-switches is effective at any one time.

The conductors I53 are connected to the ultraviolet sterilizing lamps, or illuminating lamps as the case may be, in any conventional manner.

Operation The machine is prepared for operation by filling the reservoir 3| with liquid to be bottled, bottles are arranged for feeding near the supply end of the machine and the selector switch is set to connect the pair of micro-switches appropriate to the size of bottles to be filled, for example, switches I Ma and Idl'a for 100 cc. bottles. The master switch and all but one of the minor switches I31 are closed and the operator takes his station. The last of the minor switches I31 is then closed and the machine starts. Bottles are placed on the conveyor at its feeding end, either by hand or from automatic means, such as an automatic conveyor or the discharge mechanism of a blowing machine. The positioning of the first bottles must be in properly timed relation to the part of its cycle in which the machine is then standing, or the machine may be run until just ahead of the point at which filling commences and the bottles then placed directly under the filling nozzles. Assuming this is the procedure, at this point the stopping solenoid will be energized so that the bar 66 Will extend across the conveyor, and the filling solenoid 26 will be deenergized so that the core 25 will be down and the filling valves 5| in each valve cylinder will be closed. The rack I03 will be in, or nearly in, its full rightward pOsition. Sometimes, a small part of the driving stroke of said rack is permitted after the extension of the barrier 66 to insure the bottles being all pushed solidly together and against said barrier. The filling nozzles are so adjusted that at this point the mouths of the bottles will be directly under and vertically close to said filling nozzles.

The motor causing the wheel I02 to rotate at this point, starts the rack on its backward or leftward stroke. The uni-directional clutch within the gear I I5 here functions to permit such motion by the rack without moving the conveyor belt 3.

The appropriate cam in group H30, controlling the filling solenoid 26, now closes the switch M411 and the filling solenoid 26 is energized. This pulls the core 25 upwardly actuating the levers 22 and 2-3 to rotate the cam 21 counterclockwise as viewed in Figure 3. The cam acts against the cam contact 51 (or I12) of the several valve cylinders to open the valves 5! (or I69) in each thereof. Liquid thus flows through said cylinders from the reservoir SI and out through the discharge nozzle 58 (or I15) of each of said valve cylinders.

\ While this flow is taking place, the shaft and the cams thereon continue to rotate, and after a precisely predetermined time further action thereof will open said micro-switch I m.

Since the rate of flow from said discharge noz-f zles is a precisely timeable matter, the period during which said valves are open will be closely related to the volume of liquid required to fill the bottles. When the switch M ta opens the solenoid coil 26 is substantially simultaneously deenergized. This permits the core 25 to drop by gravity and thus rotate the cam 21 clockwise to release the cam pressure against the cam contacts 51 (or I12) by which the spring53 (or I'M) closes the valve 5! (or I 69) in each valve cylinder and terminates the fiow of liquid. The groove 63 around the discharge outlet 62 prevents the formation of any depending drop of liquid. Substantially simultaneously the micro-switch I 41c opens to deenergize the bottle stopping solenoid 65. The deenergizing of the solenoid I35 permits the spring 61 to draw the barrier 65 back out of its blocking position. Closely following this opening of the switches mac and 31a, the wheel I02 comes into such position that it starts the rack I53 into a driving stroke, rightward as appearing in Figure 8. Thus immediately after the flow of liquid ceases and the barrier 66 is retracted, the conveyor again moves forward to move the bottles, now containing a measured amount of liquid, to the intermediate zone 13 wherein the caps may if desired be manually placed on the bottles and the bottles also eX- posed to sterilizing ultra-violet rays. As this takes place new bottles, placed on the conveyor during the filling of the first set, come into position within the filling zone A. Again the blocking solenoid 65 is energized and an instant later the conveyor stops, the filling valves open and the cycle repeats. This time, as the filled bot-tles move out of the filling zone, the previously filled 1i bottles, now in the sterilizing zone, move onto the'ca'p fixing or setting zone C.

The timing of the stroke of the rack I03 must evidently be such that its backward, or non-driving, stroke fully spans in time the period of bottle filling, and the switch operating cams must be carefully timed with said rack so that the solenoids will be energized and deenergized at the proper time with respect to the intermittent movement of the conveyor.

A wide variety of adjustments may be made. For example, if the required sterilizing time is longer than the needed filling time, then the switch operating cams will be adjusted so that the filling valve 5I in the several valve cylinders is closed at the proper time to provide the correct amount of liquid within said bottles, but the conveyor does not move until the sterilizing period has expired. In all cases the barrier 65 may be retracted at any time after the conveyor has stopped at the beginning of a filling cycle, provided only it is fully retracted when the conveyor starts again.

Merely by turning the selector switch I50 the electrical system may be adjusted to operating time cycles appropriate to bottles of different capacities. Such a change will need to be accompanied by either or both of changes in the spacing longitudinally of the conveyor of the filling nozzles 60 and/or the vertical position thereof.

A constant pressure must be maintained at the discharge outlet 62 in order to insure that a predetermined volume passes said outlet in a predetermined time. This can be accomplished in any of several conventional ways, of which a convenient one is by suitable float valve mechanism (not shown) maintaining at a constant level the liquid in a tank (not shown) from which is supplied the liquid to the reservoir 3|, said constant level being vertically higher than the uppermost part of such reservoir.

By the proper placing of the switches I31 the operator can stop the restart mechanism at will and may do so practically instantly from any position which he might at any given moment occupy. This is both a decided convenience and a great safety factor.

As an alternative to an element of the construction above described but embodying certain of its same principles, the wheel I02 and its associated'rack I03 and other mechanism may be replaced by electrical control as shown in Figure 10. Here the shaft 95, supported by its bearings S8 and 91, and carrying the cam groups I00 and NH are all the same. The microswitches 34a to M911 inclusive, operating from the cam groups I80 and NH, operate as before, and a further cam i80 operates to open and close a micro switch l8I. This switch controls a high starting torque motor I82 which connects through a belt or chain I33 to a gear box I84 for suitable speed reduction and this in turn connectsthrough the belt or chain I85 to a pulley, or sprocket, I85 corresponding to the pulley, or sprocket, I20 in Figure 7. This pulley, or sprocket then drives the shaft I22 and the roll 4 in the same manner as above described for the pulley, or sprocket I20, and through it the conveyor belt 3. By proper adjustment of the cam I80 with respect to the other cam elements, intermittent movement of said conveyor belt as desired with respect to the filling action may be had.

Many other variations from the form specifically above described will be possible, without departing from the scope of the invention. Particularly, more or less than the four valve cylin ders shown may be used, other means than those shown intermittently driving the conveyor and other timed means relating the operations of the solenoids with the movement of the conveyor, may be employed. Hence, the claims are to be construed broadly excepting only as they may be limited otherwise by their express language.

We claim:

1. In a device for dispensing into successive groups of containers predetermined quantities of a fluent material, the combination comprising: an intermittently movable conveyor for transporting said containers and timeable means effecting intermittent movement of said conveyor; means including a valve discharging said fluent material at a point vertically above said conveyor; electrically actuated means opening and closing said valve; means supporting a barrier and permitting movement thereof into and movement thereof out of a position in the path of containers being transported by said conveyor; electrically actuated means effecting one of said movements of said barrier and resilient means efiecting the other of said movements of said barrier; a plurality of automatically operable electrical switches controlling the operation of both said electrically actuated means and timing the operation of same with respect to each other and with respect to the movement of said conveyor.

2. In a device for dispensing into successive groups of containers predetermined quantities of a fluent material, the combination comprising:

an intermittently movable conveyor and timeable means effecting intermittent movement thereof; means including a plurality of valves disposed in a row above, and parallel with, said conveyor and having horizontally positioned, mutually parallel, actuating rods, each valve having an outlet opening for discharging said fluent material, and said opening being equally spaced for alignment with a said group of said containers; electrically actuated means opening and closing said valves; means supporting a barrier and permitting movement thereof into container obstructing position, thereby determining positively the stopping position of the leading one of each of said groups of containers in position for receivii ing fluent material from a respective one of said valves and said means also permitting movement of said barrier out of container obstructing position; electrically actuated means effecting one of said movements of said barrier and resilient means effecting the other of said movements of said barrier; a plurality of automatically operable electrical switches controlling the operation of both said electrically actuated means and timing the operation of same with respect to each other and with respect to the movement of said contually parallel, actuating rods each valve having an outlet opening for discharging said fluent material, and said openings being equally spaced for alignment with a, said group of said containers; electrically actuated means opening and 0105-2 ing said valves; means supporting a, barrier and permitting movement thereof into container obstructing position, thereby determining positively the stopping position of the leading one of each of said groups of containers for receiving fluent material from a respective one of said valves and said means also permitting movement of said barrier out of container obstructing position; electrically actuated means effecting one of said movements of said barrier and resilient means effecting the other of said movements of said barrier; a plurality of automatically operable electrical switches controlling the operation of both said electrically actuated means and timing the operation of same with respect to each other and with respect to the movement of said conveyor, wherein the movement of said barrier into container obstructing position slightly precedes the stopping of said conveyor for each group of containers.

4. In a device for dispensing into successive groups of containers predetermined quantities of fluent material, the combination comprising: an intermittently movable conveyor carrying said containers in a single row thereon along the length of said conveyor; a guard member along each side of said conveyor spaced apart only sufliciently to permit passage therebetween of a single row of containers, and timeable means effecting said intermittent movement; a source for said fluent materials at a constant pressure; a plurality of discharge valves connected to said source and having discharge openings above and parallel with said conveyor and spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between container openings when said containers are in contacting relationship with each other on said conveyor; electrically actuated means opening and closing said valves; a barrier and means supporting same for extension across said conveyor into a container obstructing position and for retracting same out of container obstructing position; electrically actuated means eiTecting one of said extension and retracting movements of said barrier and other means efiecting the other of said extension and retracting movements of said barrier; a plurality of automatically operable electrical switches controlling the operation of both said electrically actuated means and timing the operation of same with respect to each other and with respect to the movement of said conveyor, said means being so timed that as one group of containers moves under said valve openings the barrier extends into container obstructing position slightly ahead of the stopping of said conveyor; whereby said containers are positively arranged in contacting relationship in precisely determined position for filling.

5. In a device for dispensing into successive groups of containers predetermined quantities of fluent material, the combination comprising: a conveyor for transporting said containers and timeable means effecting intermittent movement of said conveyor; means including a plurality of equally spaced valves disposed in a row above, and parallel with, said conveyor, each valve having a downwardly facing outlet opening for discharging fluent material; electrically actuated means opening and closing said valves; a barrier and means supporting same for movement into and movement out of a position in the path of said group of containers being transported by said conveyer, each of said container being thereby aligned with one of said outlet openings; electrically actuated means effecting one of said movements of said barrier and resilient means effecting the other of said movements of said barrier; a plurality of automatically operable electrical switches controlling the operation of both said electrically actuated means and timing the operation of same with respect to each other and with respect to the movement of said conveyer.

WILLIAM J. BOEGLY. ELDRE-D C. BENNETT. ROBERT S. MORRISON. CHARLES POWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 315,622 Hoskins Apr. 14, 1855 480,746 Wildi Nov. 22, 1892 1,028,658 Balhorn June 4, 1912 1,072,290 Wood et al Sept. 2, 1913 1,137,128 Geyer Apr. 27, 1915 1,311,144 Workman July 22, 1919 1,813,021 Brown et a1. July 7, 1931 2,028,256 Stevens et al Jan. 21, 1936 2,259,777 Politsch et a1. Oct. 21, 1941 2,280,614 Ayars Apr. 21, 1 942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 184,996 Great Britain Aug. 31, 1922 146,011 Austria June 10, 1936

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