US2725170A

US2725170A - Filling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2725170A
Application number: US341481A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl L Day; Robert S Jump
Original assignee: Crown Cork and Seal Co Inc
Current assignee: Crown Cork and Seal Co Inc
Priority date: 1953-03-10
Filing date: 1953-03-10
Publication date: 1955-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 1972-11-29

Description

Nov. 29, 1955 c, DAY ET AL FILLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 10, 1953 INVENTORS.

Oflfl Lop 3) 5 BY h fl' Jj mp W 1 .14% W ATTORNEYS.

NOV. 29, 1955 c, DAY ET AL FILLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 10, 1955 nIIlIlIlllHH-ln IN VENTORS f") ay, U Rokerfl'd'. lump,

rll y/l/v/llf ATTORNEYS.

2,725,170 Fatentted Nov. 2h, i955 fiice 9 Claims. (Cl. 226124) The present invention relates to a filling apparatus for filling containers with liquids such as pickle brine, syrup or milk and more particularly to an improved filling valve arrangement for such apparatus which eliminates hanging of containers thereto due to Stickiness of the liquid or development of a vacuum within the container.

In filling containers with highly viscous liquids such as pickle brine or syrup, difficulty has been encountered in separating the filled containers from the filling valve because of the stickiness of the liquids being dispensed and because high viscous liquids tend to create a seal between the lip of the container and the filling valve causing a vacuum to be formed within the container when it is being separated from the filling valve. The filling machine must oftentimes be stopped to release a container which is stuck to the filling head at the time the container is being lowered, after completion of the filling operation and, thus, the production line is slowed and the etficiency of the system is materially decreased.

Therefore, an important object of the present invention is the provision of a valve for a filling machine which will seal against the lip of a container when the container is raised into position for filling and which will positively and immediately break its seal with the container when the container is lowered from engagement with the filling head.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a valve for a filling machine having a resilient bulbous body which engages the lip of a container and will be deformed thereby to form a seal therebetween and thereafter will return to its original shape breaking the seal with the container when the container is lowered out of engagement therewith.

In modern day bottling and canning plants which handle products that are to be consumed by humans, State health laws require that the machines handling the food products must in the interest or" public health meet certain sanitary regulations. Therefore, another object of the present invention is to provide a filling apparatus in which the valve may be easily and quickly disassembled so that the parts thereof may be thoroughly cleaned at frequent intervals.

Ancillary to the last-mentioned object, the present invention provides a filling valve which eliminates any concealed or inaccessible crevices which might collect and retain food product residue or particles which result in bacteria formations.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a filling apparatus having a vent tube positioned therein which will not be displaced axially when the valve member is operated to open the liquid flow passage simultaneously with the vent tube.

Another objectof the present invention is to provide means operatively associated with the filling valve which will deflect the liquid flowing into a container away from the vent port and thereby eliminating the possibility of the vent port being blocked by the flow of liquid through the valve during a filling operation.

These and other objects of the invention will appear more clearly in the following specification, claims and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the filling tank and a filling head and shows the container on its platform about to engage and open the filling valve;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the filling valve and showing the container at a point of engagement with the filling valve prior to sealing engagement therewith;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the filling valve taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the filling valve looking from below;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical section through a filling head showing the neck of a container in the filling position with the valve of the filling head in the fully opened position;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the filling valve and vent tube taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged side elevational view of the vent tube;

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical section of the vent tube;

Figure 9 is an enlarged front elevation of the vent tube;

Figure 10 is a plan view of the vent tube; V

Figure 11 is an enlarged side elevation of the vent tube guide;

Figure 12 is a plan view of the vent tube guide shown in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is an enlarged side elevation of the vent tube retaining spider; and

Figure 14 is a plan view of the vent tube retaining spider shown in Figure 13.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like character or reference numerals represent like or similar parts, the filling machine disclosed has a liquid supply reservoir 10 mounted for rotary movement in any well-known manner. A cover 12 is provided for engagement with the top of reservoir 10 whereby dirt and foreign material is prevented from contacting the liquid within the reservoir. Although the apparatus disclosed is for filling containers with liquid at atmospheric pressure, it is within the scope of the present invention that the supply reservoir 10 may be provided with a substantially airtight cover whereby liquid may be filled by subatmospheric pressures. Reservoir 10 is supplied with liquid such as pickle brine, syrup or the like, in any conventional manner from a suitable source of supply. Although the filling apparatus and valve disclosed is intended for use where high viscosity and sticky liquids are dispensed, it is within the scope of the invention that the filling apparatus also may be used for filling where the liquid used is of a less viscous nature. Such an instance would be the filling of containers with milk or the like.

As shown in Figure 1, reservoir 10 is provided with a series of circumferentially spaced depressions or pockets 14 having downwardly and inwardly inclined walls. Each pocket 14 has attached thereto in sealing engage ment therewith, a downwardly projecting boss 16 forming a part of the filling head. The downwardly projecting boss 16, which may be welded to pocket 14, is provided with a longitudinal bore 18 defining a passage communicating the interior of reservoir 10 with a resilient hollow bulbous body or valve member 58. Boss 16 is of generally cylindrical form and is provided at its lower end with a reduced portion 20. The upper edge of the bore 18 of boss 16 is provided with an annular bevelled surface as indicated at 22. Positioned within bore 18 of boss 16 is a hollow vent tube 24 which opens above the level of liquid in reservoir and has its lower end or tip closed. As shown in Figure l, the vent tube 24 is comprised of an upper extension 26 and a lower fill tip 28. Although the vent tube in this particular embodiment of the invention is shown in two sections, it is of course, within the scope of the invention that the vent tube may be a single unit. Vent tube 24 is retained in position within the bore 18 by means of a vent tube guide 30. Referring to Figures 11 and 12, vent tube guide 30 is a spider member having a body 32 with a longitudinal bore 34 extending therethrough and a plurality of radially extending longitudinal ribs 36. Ribs 36 are provided at the upper ends with upwardly and outwardly inclined shoulders 38 which are adapted to engage the annular bevelled surface 22 of boss 16. The lower end of the bore 34, in vent tube guide 3% is threaded, as indicated at 40, to receive the threaded end 42 of vent tube fill tip 28. The upper portion 26 of vent tube 24 may be soldered or rigidly attached within bore 34 of spider member 30. It is now obvious that when the spider member 30 is supported with bore 13 of boss 16 by means of shoulders 38 engaging the annular bevelled surface 22 that the fill tip 28 may be then threaded into the internally threaded spider 3-0. Downward movement of vent tube 24 is thus prevented by the positioning of the vent tube guide within boss 16.

As previously mentioned the vent tube 24 is provided with a closed fill tip 28. At the lower end of vent tube 24, an enlarged outwardly and downwardly extending annular chamfered surface 44 is provided. The purpose of chamfered surface 44 will be explained in more detail later in the specification. Immediately above chamfered surface 44, the vent tube 24 is provided with a longitudinally elongated laterally extending projection 46 having a lateral facing vent port 48 therein communicating with the interior of the hollow vent tube. Thus, the vent tube will communicate between the top of the reservoir 10 and the interior of a container 11 when the container is raised into filling position by means of a vertically movable platform 13.

As best shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10, projection 46 on vent tube 24 is provided with a shoulder 50 at the upper end thereof. Shoulder 50 is adapted to engage the lower surface of a vent tube retainer member or spider 52 which is fitted over the vent tube prior to insertion of the vent tube into the threaded vent guide member 30. Vent tube retainer member or spider 52 is provided with a plurality of radially extending arms 54 at its lower end. These arms are adapted to engage the lower edge of boss 16 when the vent tube fill tip 28 is threaded into position. As indicated at 56, the arms 54 Will engage the end of boss 16 and prevent upward movement of the vent. tube in an operation to be subsequently described.

Attached to the recess portion 20 of boss 16 is resilient hollow bulbous body or valve member 58 having a passage therethrough. Valve member 53 may be made of rubber, neoprene, or the like resilient material and is provided with valve means for sealing the lip of the container 11 and for opening and closing of the liquid flow and vent passages. Resilient bulbous body 58 has a relatively thick-walled neck portion 66 and a relatively thin wall bulbiform portion 62. The neck portion engages the reduced portion 20 of boss 16 and is frictionally retained thereon due to its slight distention thereby. The free end of the body 58 is provided with an inwardly extending annular flange 64 having an annular inner edge 66 defining a portion of the passage through the body. Annular flange 64 is provided with a half-round lip 68 adjacent the lower portion of its inner edge 66. The purpose of the half-round lip 68 is so that it will engage the chamfered surface on the vent tube fill tip to form a seal therewith when the valve is in the closed or nonally facing vent port 43, projection 46 is provided.

4 fill position. The annular flange 64 forms a recess 70 in bulbous valve body 58 and the purpose of this recess will become more evident later in the specification.

Annular flange 64 has a lower surface 72, for sealing engagement with the lip of container 11, which tapers downwardly and inwardly from the periphery of bulbous body 58. Tapered surface 72 is provided with a plurality of flat sectors 74 which are in abutting relationship with each other. At the point of abutment of two adjacent sectors 74, a radially extending rib 76 is formed. In the normal relaxed position of bulbous body 53, the ribs '76 will be the first portion thereof to contact container 11 when it is being raised into filling position. Since ribs 76 will contact with the lip of the container at individual points thereon, an open space 75 will be provided between the flat sector 74 and the lip of container 11 as best shown in Figure 3. As the container 11 is raised into filling position, it will flex the annular flange 64 of bulbous body 58 and deform the same into sealing engagement as is shown in Figure 5. In this position the lower surface of flange 64 is substantially flat or planar with the ribs 76 being deformed into the sectors 74. When container 11 is lowered, there is a normal tendency to create a vacuum in the top of the container above the level of liquid therein and thus it would be diflicult to break the seal between the container lip and the bulbous body 58 if provisions were not provided to bleed air to the space above the liquid in the container. However, since bulbous body 58 is made of a flexible deformable material which will tend to assume its original shape and is provided with a container engaging surface comprising a plurality of flat sectors in abutting relationship, the ribs 76 will bias the flat sectors away from the lip of the container and provide an airspace therebetween for air to bleed from the atmosphere to the interior of the container between the lip of the container and the flat sectors. Thus, there cannot be a vacuum lock between the container and the filling valve. In instances where the liquid is extremely sticky, the valve will operate in the same manner to release the container at the end of the filling operation.

As is shown in Figure 5, when the container flexes and deforms annular flange 64 of bulbous body 58, the vent tube 48 is opened to communicate with the interior of the container. Also, the liquid flow passage 59 from the reservoir, between the wall of bore 18 and the outside of vent tube 24, is opened for flow of liquid around the vent tube into the container. To prevent the flow of liquid around the vent tube from blocking the later- It will be noted that the exterior surface of the projection 46 is curved or semi-circular to conform with the radius of curvature defined by the interior edge 66 of annular flange 64. When the flange 64 is flexed by engagement with the container lip, a portion of the edge of the flange will engage projection 46 above the vent port 48, thus forming a seal therewith whereby the liquid flowing into container 11 is deflected away from laterally facing vent port 48.

In the past, it has been merely necessary to have a vent tube positioned within the bore of a valve of this character so that there could be no downward movement thereof. However, since a portion of the interior edge of flange 64 engages lateral projection 46 of the vent tube V to deflect liquid away from the vent port, it is necessary to prevent the vent tube from moving up duringfilling. As previously mentioned, the lower spider member 52, which is slipped over fill tip 28, engages flange 50 on the lateral projection 46. When the vent tube fill tip has been threaded into the upper spider member 30 to a point where the laterally extending arms 52 engage the lower edge of boss 16, the vent tube is prevented from movement either up or down during the operation of the bulbous valve body.

The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of description and not for limitation, the scope of the invention is defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a filling machine of the character described, a reservoir, a boss projecting below said reservoir and having an axial bore therethrough communicating with the interior of the reservoir, a hollow vent tube closed at its lower end and axially positioned in said axial bore and defining a flow passage between its outer wall and the wall of said axial bore for the flow of liquid during a filling operation from said reservoir to a container, said vent tube having at its lower end an enlarged annular chamfered surface and an elongated lateral projection positioned above said chamfered surface, said elongated lateral projection having a laterally facing vent port therein communicating with the interior of said hollow vent tube, a resilient bulbous body connected to said boss and having a passageway therethrough in substantial axial alignment with the bore in said boss, said body having at one end thereof a freely inwardly extending annular flange having an inner edge defining a portion of the passageway therethrough and normally contacting said annular chamfered surface of said vent tube to form a seal therewith, said annular flange flexing when engaged by a container during the filling operation to free its inner edge from the annular chamfered surface and to open said vent tube into communication with the interior of the container, a portion of said inner edge of said annular flange engaging said elongated projection above said laterally facing vent port and forming a seal therewith whereby liquid flowing around said vent tube is directed away from said vent port during the filling operation.

2. In a filling machine of the character described, a reservoir, a boss projecting below said reservoir and having an axial bore therethrough communicating with the interior of the reservoir, a hollow vent tube closed at its lower end and axially positioned in said axial bore and defining a flow passage between its outer wall and the wall of said axial bore for the flow of liquid during the filling operation from said reservoir to a container, means rigidly supporting said vent tube in said port with its lower end below said boss, said vent tube having at its lower end an enlarged downwardly and outwardly extending annular chamfered surface and a longitudinally elongated laterally extending projection positioned above said annular chamfered surface, said elongated lateral projection having a laterally facing vent port therein com municating with the interior of said hollow vent tube, a resilient bulbous body connected to said boss and having a passageway therethrough in substantial axial alignment with the bore in said boss, said body having at one end thereof a freely inwardly extending annular flange having an inner edge defining a portion of the passageway therethrough and normally contacting said chamfered surface of said vent tube to form a seal therewith closing off the liquid flow and vent passages, said annular flange flexing when engaged by the container during the filling operation to free its inner edge from said chamfered surface and to open said vent tube into communication with the interior of the container, a portion of said inner edge of said annular flange engaging said projection above said vent port forming a seal therewith whereby liquid flowing around said vent tube is directed away from said vent port during the filling operation.

3. In a filling machine of the character described, a reservoir, a boss projecting below said reservoir and having a bore therethrough communicating with the interior of the reservoir, said bore having a bevelled upper edge, a spider member having a bore therethrough and a plurality of spaced longitudinally extending ribs provided with inclined shoulders thereon, said spider member positioned and supported within the bore of said boss by engagement of said shoulders with said bevelled edge, a hollow vent tube closed at its lower end and supported in the bore of said spider with its lower end below said boss, said vent tube having at its lower end an enlarged downwardly and outwardly extending chamfered surface and a longitudinally elongated laterally extending projection positioned above said annular chamfered surface, said elongated lateral projection having a laterally facing vent port therein communicating with the interior of said hollow vent tube, the upper end of said laterally extending projection defining a shoulder, a second spider member positioned on said vent tube and having spaced radially extending arms, said last-mentioned spider engaging the shoulder of the projection on said vent tube and the lower end of said boss whereby upward movement of the vent tube is prevented, a resilient bulbous body connected to said boss and having a passageway therethrough in substantial axial alignment with the bore in said boss, said body having at one end thereof a freely inwardly extending annular flange having an inner edge defining a portion of the passageway therethrough and normally contacting said chamfered surface of said vent tube to form a seal therewith closing off the liquid flow and vent passages, said annular flange flexing when engaged by the container lip during the filling operation to free its inner edge from said chamfered surface and to open said vent tube into connection with the interior of the container, the portion of said inner edge of said annular flange engaging said projection above said vent port forming a seal therewith whereby liquid flowing around said vent tube is directed away from said vent port during the filling operation.

4. In a filling machine of the character described, a reservoir, a boss projecting below said reservoir and having an axial bore therethrough communicating with the interior of the reservoir, a hollow vent tube closed at its lower end and axially positioned in said passageway and defining a flow passage between its outer wall and the wall of said axial bore for the flow of liquid during a filling operation from said reservoir to' a container, said vent tube having at its lower end an enlarged annular chamfered surface and an elongated lateral projection positioned above said chamfered surface, said elongated lateral projection having a laterally facing vent port therein communicating with the interior of said hollow vent tube, a resilient bulbous body connected to said boss and having a passageway therethrough in substantial axial alignment with the bore in said boss, said body having at one end thereof a freely inwardly extending annular flange having an inner edge defining a portion of the passageway therethrough and normally contacting said chamfered surface of said vent tube to form a seal therewith, said annular flange having a lower surface including a plurality of flat sectors positioned in abutting relationship with each other and forming a plurality of radially extending ribs at the point of abutment, said annular fiange flexing and deforming when engaged by a container during a filling operation to free said edge from the annular chamfered surface to permit flow between said edge and plug and to open said vent tube into communication with the interior of the container, a portion of said inner edge of said annular flange engaging said elongated projection above said vent port forming a seal therewith whereby liquid flowing around said vent tube is directed away from said vent port during the filling operation,

the lower surface of said flange forming a seal with the F container lip when said flange is flexed and deformed 3 thereby and biased by said ribs upon relief of pressure 5 of the container therewith to provide an air space between said flat sectors and the container lip whereby air is permitted to bleed into the container when said con tainer is separating from said resilient body.

5. In a filling valve of the type for filling containers with a liquid while venting a gas therefrom, a hollow vent tube closed at its lower end, said vent tube having an enlarged annular chamfered surface and an elongated lateral projection positioned above said chamfered surface, said elongated lateral projection having a laterally facing vent port therein communicating with the interior "of said hollow vent tube, a resilient deformable body having a liquid flow passage therethrough and a lower surface for sealing engagement with a container, said body having its edge adjacent the lower end of said liquid flow passage normally contacting the chamfered surface of said vent tube to form a seal therewith, the lower surface of said body flexing when engaged by a container to free the lower edge thereof from the annular chamfered surface and to open said vent tube into communication with the interior of the container, a portion of said edge adjacent the lower end of the fluid passage of said body engaging said elongated projection above said laterally facing vent port and forming a seal therewith whereby liquid flowing through the liquid flow passage of said body is directed away from the vent port in said vent tube during a filling operation.

6. A filling valve of the type described in claim 5 wherein the lower container engaging surface of said body is tapered downwardly from the periphery of said body toward said liquid flow passage and includes a plurality of fiat sectors positioned in abutting relationship with each other and forming a plurality of laterally extending ribs at the point of abutment, said lower surface of said body being deformed when engaged by a container during a filling operation to form a seal with the container, and said lower surface being biased by said ribs upon relief of pressure of the container to provide an air space between said flat sectors and the container lip whereby air is permitted to bleed into the container when the container is separating from said body.

7. In a filling valve of the type for filling containers with a liquid while venting a gas therefrom, a hollow vent tube closed at its lower end, said vent tube having an enlarged annular chamfered surface and an elongated lateral projection positioned above said chamfered surface, said elongated lateral projection having a laterally facing vent port therein communicating with the interior of said hollow vent tube, a bulbous resilient body having a. liquid flow passage therethrough and an annular recess therein, said body having at one end thereof a freely inwardly extending annular flange having an inner edge defining a portion of the passageway therethrough and normally contacting said annular chamfered surface of said vent tube to form a seal therewith, said annular flange flexing when engaged by a container during a filling operation to free its inner edge from the annular chamfered surface and to open said vent tube into communication with the interior of the container, a portion of said annular flange engaging said elongated projection above said laterally facing vent port and forming a seal therewith whereby liquid flowing around said vent tube is directed away from said vent port during the filling operation.

8. A filling valve of the character described in claim 7 wherein the lower container engaging surface of said annular flange tapers downwardly from the periphery of said body and includes a plurality of'flat sectors positioned in abutting relationship with each other and forming a plurality of laterally extending ribs at the point of abutment, said lower surface being deformed when engaged by the container lip during a filling operation to form a seal therewith, and said lower surface being flexibly biased by said ribs upon relief of pressure of the container to provide an air space between said flat sectors and the container lip whereby air is permitted to bleed into the container when the container is separating from said body.

9. In a filling valve of the type for filling containers with liquid while venting a gas therefrom, a hollow vent tube closed at its lower end, said vent tube having an enlarged chamfered surface at its lower end and a laterally facing vent port positioned above said annular chamfered surface and communicating with the interior of said hollow vent tube, a resilient deformable body having a liquid flow passage therethrough and a lower surface for sealing engagement with a container, said body having its edge adjacent the lower end of said, liquid flow passage normally contacting the enlarged annular chamfered surface, of said vent tube to form a seal therewith closing off said liquid flow passage and said laterally facing vent port in said vent tube, said body flexing when engaged by a container on its lower surface to free its edge which normally engages the annular chamfered surface of said vent tube and to open said vent tube into communication with the interior of the container, a portion of said edge adjacent the lower end of said fluid passage engaging said vent-tube above said laterally facing vent port and forming a seal therewith whereby liquid flowing around said vent tube through said liquid flow passage is directed away fromsaid vent port during the filling operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 665,893 Field Jan. 15, 1901 1,480,334 Ayars Jan. 8, 1924 2,353,277 Stewart et a1 July 11, 1944