US2660359A

US2660359A - Filling machine valve

Info

Publication number: US2660359A
Application number: US274463A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wilbur H Bulcao
Original assignee: HORIX Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: HORIX Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1952-03-01
Filing date: 1952-03-01
Publication date: 1953-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 1970-11-24

Description

NOV. 24, 1953 w H, BULCAQ 2,660,359

FILLING MACHINE VALVE Filed March 1, 1952 I l Hiil'H I l 1 \HH, L I I T 4| ug;

w INVENTOR.

wlLgug Pol-can ute.

Patented Nov. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FILLING MACHINE VALVE Wilbur H. Bulcao, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Horix Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 1, 1952, Serial No. 274,463

5 Claims.

This invention relates to filling machine valves, and more particularly to those used in machines for filling wide-mouth containers at high speed.

Container filling machines are well known in which containers are carried on supports that lift them up to valves around the bottom of a rotating tank. It generally is desirable to operate these machines as fast as possible, some of them filling several hundred containers per min- Machines that fill wide-mouth containers are capable of operating this fast, except that when they fill to a high filling height, particularly with hot products, difficulty is experienced in separating the containers from the rubber seals or gaskets which their upper ends engage. This is due to the formation of a partial vacuum in the containers which causes them to break away with a jerky motion or, in some cases, even makes it necessary to exert pressure on the outside of the containers to break them away from the gaskets. This interferes with the smooth operation of the machine and also causes the containers to spill liquid. If the containers are made of glass, it may even result in their breakage.

To overcome this difficulty, the gaskets have been formed in different ways intended to break the vacuum as soon as the container supports start to descend. For example, the sealing surfaces of the gaskets have been provided with radial ribs that press the containers away from the sealing surfaces as soon as the pressure of the containers against them is reduced by the descending supports. However, in such cases the container lips soon wear through the ribs and make them ineffective. I I

It is among the objects of this invention to 7 provide a high speed filling machine valve from which wide-mouth containers will quickly separate as soon as their supports start to descend,

' and which includes a sealing gasket that may be made of uniform thickness throughout, with no projections or openings in its sealing surface.

In accordance with this invention, a resilient gasket surrounds the lower end of the vertical j filling tube of a filling machine valve and has a lower sealing surface that is adapted to be engaged by the lip of an empty container which is raised up against it by the container support. Means is provided above the gasket for constantly pushing only a portion of it downward. Consequently, when the container support starts to descend after the container has been filled, this downwardly urged portion of the gasket will push the container away from some of the sealing surface of the gasket andthereby break any vacuum known manner.

2 in the container which otherwise might hold the container against the gasket.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of my filling valve, with parts shown in section and with a container lip touching only the downwardly pressed portion of the sealing gasket; Fig. 2 is a similar view, but with the valve opened by the raised container; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1.

The valve illustrated is only one of several that may be screwed into a ring of openings in the bottom of the rotating tank of a conventional automatic filling machine. This valve has a vertical filling tube I that is threaded at its upper end for screwing into the bottom of such a tank. The lower end of the tube is provided at one side with a liquid outlet 2. The opposite side of the tube is provided with an air vent 3 that communicates with the lower end of a vent tube 4 extending up through the filling tube to a point above the level of the liquid in the tank in a well Screwed onto the closed lower end of the filling tube is a valve seal 6 that projects radially from the tube for a short distance. The valve is normally closed by a sleeve 1 which is slidably mounted on the tube. The lower end of the sleeve is pressed against the seal 6 by means of a coil spring 8 that encircles the upper portion of the filling tube.

The valve sleeve has a threaded portion, on which a supporting member or collar I0 is screwed. The bottom of the collar is provided with a circular recess I I, and a resilient gasket 12 of rubber.

or the like that tightly encircles the sleeve is confined in this recess. The lower surface of this gasket forms a sealing surface which is engaged by the lip of an empty wide-mouth container l3 every time such a container is raised by the support It! on which it rests. As is well known in this art, the container is raised against the gasket the seal 6 on the lower end of the filling tube to close the valve. Further downward movement of the support is supposed to lower the filled container away from sealing gasket I2, but heretofore the container often has not separated from such a smooth surface gasket or it has stayed sealing gasket.

against it for a moment after it should have separated. This is due to a partial vacuum being formed in the container, especially when the machine is operated at high speed or the filling material is hot.

It is a feature of this invention that the container is pushed down away from most of the sealing ggasket -12 after the :container .has been filled, athereby breaking any :vacuum .thattmight hold it against the gasket. This is accomplished by providing means for always pressing a small portion of the gasket downward, so that the moment the container support startsto-descend, the container will be pushediricwnwardxwithlits support until some of its ilipsseparates .from (the There is then nothing ZtOZ'hOld the container against the gasket, downward pressure on the sealing gasket is'producefbyn pressure member located between theatopeofithe gasket and the upper wall of the collar recess l I. lI'acompensatefior .wear onLthe gasketandto. permit variable downwardpressureifor varioussize 1 containers,.it iszdesirableto exertadjustableipresisure downward on .the ,pressure membenusuh'as byes. coilrspring. This canwbe. done conveniently.

sbyiorming the pressure .memberasaihead 3E6 ..on .the .lower end :01: ,a stem A] that extends lloosely eupithrough a vertical passage .IBthrough aLlateral eenlargement :incdllar .Lll. .A-coilspring .l9 en-= ecircles .the stem .and .is compressed between its head and a shoulder 2| :near'the upper-end'diethe passage. The upper end -of the .stem extends .above ,the collar-and .is threaded and provided -.with.-.lock nuts 22 -which.can .be :screwed .up .or down theestem-to control the distance that .itcan belmoved downward :bythe spring. ;It.-also-.is.de-

,llEig. 1. .As isalsors'howninlthat figuraltheupper .e'dgenrilip .o'fIthecontainerlfirst engageslthe small portion ofthe sealinggasketthatispressed downward by ,pressure head TB. Continued upward movement of "the .container presses its entire lip up "into the. sealing .gasket, asv shown;in1 Flig.J2, .and thereby .pus'hes the pressure head and .stem lt'upwar'din cdllar passage 18. Theitop of the container then is completely sealedhy 'thega'sket. .As the container continues '.to .move upward,.it opens the valve .asl has been explained previously so that the eontainer-ean be filled with the materiaL'fiowing vilownithrough.i'illing tube and out of outlet22. As soon astheicontainerislfilleld the support J4 starts 'toidescend. This reduces the pressure of the container .agains't gasket 12, whereupon the downward pressure .d'flhead 16 against-the top of .Lthegasket presses the underly- .'ing ,portion of the, gasket downward in collar-10 and thereby .holds the container against its .sup- ,port, .even. though. a;partial .vacuumfinfthe eon- .ftainer. mayJa'ttempt fto 'holdJthe container 111 against -the gasket. The downwardly mdving portion er the gasket compels the container to follow its support downward .until the opposite side .0: the container separates lirom Ltheygasket. 'brea'ks .any vacuum Lthat may -.hav.e been present so that the container thereafter will Hescend with the support "by gravity. I

'Due to Ithe .fact that the sealingsurface .of gasket '12 originally 'islflat, there are no vacuum- .breakingprojections .tolbe cut or worn away by the upper edges of the containers. If the downwardly pressed area of the sealing surface tends to wear more rapidly than the remaining area, the gasket can be rotated a few degrees in the collar occasionally to bring a new area of the sealing surface beneath the pressure head.

According to the provisions of the patent staetutes l have explained the guinciple of my inamntionaandihave illustratediandidescribed what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. .L'However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the in- "venti'on'may be practiced otherwise than as sspeciflcallysillustrated and described.

L-Irlaim:

.rljln'samighcspeed filling machine, the combination with .a vertically movable container supp'ortfof'avalve comprising a vertical filling tube, .alresil-ieht gasket surrounding the lower end of said tube and having a lower sealing surface aadapted .toabe engagedby vthe lip .of an empty container-raised upagainsfiitiby.saidsupport, and -.means-above the :gasket constantly. pushing only a ,portion 70f the. gasket downward to'i'd'form its .r-sealing surface, said means .exerting .sufiicient downward 1pressure .on said gportioneto .causeLitto {push thercontainer straightdown awayfrorrrsome ct-said sealing surface as .the container -:support Jmoves down away. from.--the gasket-after thecontamer ..-has rbeen filled, whereby to -admit air abetween=the gasket=andicontainer so that the container will separate ifromwthe ,gasket and remain seated on .-the descending support.

L2. in -:a high speed filling machine, vthe (combination with=a verticallymovablecontaineresup- -:por-t.of =13 valve comprising a vertical filling -tube,

a resilient :gasket surrounding .the lower -.endof said tube and having earlower sealing surface .adapted to 'be engaged .by \the lip 10f an-..en1pty container :raised .up against it by-said support, a supporting :member 1 engaging :most :of the topof :thergasket, and .a pressure member-betweensaid supportinglmember and a portion of the top .of the gasket for pressing the underlying ,portion of the gasket downward, :said pressure member .exerting suflicient :forceon said underlying-por- -tion -to cause .it :to ,push the container .straight down away from' somesof saidesealing surface as the container support :moves down away zfrom 'the gasket after :the :container has been filled, wherebytto'admit air-betweemthegasket and conitainer so that the container will separate from the ,gasket and remain seatedeon .thedescending support.

3. In a high speed filling .machine, the-room- :bination with :a-vertically movable-container 'sup- ,portoha valve comprisingeavertical filling tube, a resilient -;gasket:=surroundin1g. :the lower *end of .saidtube and having :a .lower sealing surface adapted to beenga-ged bythe lip open-empty container raisedup against itifby said-.support,a,suP- portingsmember engaging-muster the top of the gasket, a pressure-member between saidsupporting ,member and a portion of :the top tor the gasket, andi'aspring pressing-flown on :said;pres- .sure .member ;to ,push. the underlying portionaof .the vgasket downward, said spring Ibeing strong enough .to-cause said underlying portion .to push the container straight downawayfrom some of said sealing surface as the container rsupport :moves down away. from .the gasket after the container :has been filled, whereby to admit air be- ,tween the .gasketiand container so that the .con- .tainer will. separate .from .the gasket and remain seated on the. descending support.

4. In a high speed filling machine, the combination with'a vertically movable container support, of a valve comprising a vertical filling tube, a resilient gasket surrounding the lower end of said tube and having a lower sealing surface adapted. to be engaged by the lip of an empty container raised up against it by said support, a supporting member engaging most of the top of the gasket, said member being provided at one side with a vertical passage through it, a stem vertically movable in said passage, a head on the lower end of the stem engaging the top of said gasket, and a coil spring surrounding said stem and pressing it and the head downward to depress a portion of said sealing surface, said spring being strong enough to cause said portion of the sealing surface to push the container straight down away from the rest of said sealing surface as the container support moves down away from the gasket after the container has been filled, whereby to admit air between the gasket and container so that the container will separate from the gasket and remain seated on the descending support.

5. In a high speed filling machine, the combination with a vertically movable container support, of a valve comprising a vertical filling tube, a sleeve slidable vertically on the tube, an annular member surrounding the sleeve and rigidly mounted thereon, a resilient gasket surrounding the lower end of said sleeve in engagement therewith and with said member, the gasket having a lower sealing surface adapted to be engaged by the lip of an empty container raised up against it by said support, said annular member being provided at one side of the sleeve with a vertical passage, a stem vertically movable in said passage, a head on the lower end of the stem engaging the top of said gasket, a coil spring surrounding said stem'and pressing it and the head downward to depress a portion of said sealing surface, and vertically adjustable means on the stem above the spring for controlling the distance the head can move downward, the spring being compressed sufiiciently to cause said portion of the sealing surface to push the container straight down away from the rest of said sealing surface as the container support moves down away from the gasket after the container has been filled, whereby to admit air between the gasket and container so that the container will separate from the gasket and remain seated on the descending support. 7

WILBUR H. BULCAO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 665,893 Field Jan. 15, 1901 2,081,158 Tamminga et al. May 25, 1937