US2756917A - Valve for counter pressure filling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

y 1956 J. T. KLINE 2,756,917

VALVE FOR COUNTER PRESSURE: FILLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 27, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 John T Kline Mm H-Hgr y 1, 1956 J. T. KLINE 2,756,917

VALVE FOR COUNTER PRESSURE FILLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 27. 1953 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Ofiice 2,756,917 Patented July 31, 1956 VALVE FOR COUNTER PRESSURE FILLING APPARATUS John T. Kline, Huntington Park, Los Angeles, Calif., as-

signor to R. K. Manufacturing Co. Inc., Portland, reg., a corporation of Oregon Application November 27, 1953, Serial No. 394,802

4 Claims. (Cl. 226115) The art of filling containers with charged beverages by the so-called counterpressure principle is well known, as indicated by U. S. Patents 2,097,107, 2,145,765 and 2,202,033. These and other prior art patents pertaining to apparatus designed for filling containers with beer, carbonated beverages, or other liquids having a tendency to foam or eifervesce when agitated, employ substantially the same methods and principles.

Briefly outlined they are as follows: The charged liquid is supplied to a reservoir by piping connected to a continuous source of supply forming a closed circuit; air or gas under pressure, such as carbon dioxide, is also supplied to the reservoir by suitable piping leading from a continuous source forming a closed circuit, thereby providing a head above the liquid in the reservoir; and a plurality of filling heads, each one of which contains a rotary fiat valve and means to temporarily seal the containers, is joined to the bottom of the reservoir and connected with the interior thereof by suitable piping to permit removal of the liquid and/ or the air or gas confined therein. By positioning the valve in each filling head in a predetermined pattern, a filling sequence is accomplished which permits the filling of the containers without excessively foaming or effervescing the liquid. This sequence consists of temporarily sealing the container to the filling head; then positioning the valve to permit the air or gas under pressure in the reservoir, commonly called counterpressure, to enter into the container to equalize the pressure between them; then positioning the valve to permit the liquid in the reservoir to enter into the container under its normal hydrostatic pressure and to return the air or gas (counterpressure) in the container back to the reservoir as it is being displaced by the liquid; then positioning the valve to out off the flow of the liquid and the air or gas (counterpressure) to and from the container; then exhausting any air or gas remaining in the container and finally permanently sealing the container.

My invention, while relating generally to apparatus for transferring gaseous liquids from a sourceof supply to containers, specifically relates to the rotary fiat valve employed by such apparatus and is specifically directed to the method employed in conveying the liquid and air or gas from the reservoir to the container.

The rotary fiat valves presently employed in the industry as disclosed by Patents 2,097,107, 2,145,765 and 2,202,033, do not fully eliminate the foam or excessive etfervescence of the liquid as it travels from the reservoir to the container to be filled, because the port leading from the reservoir is opened before the ports for venting the compressed air or gas from the container are' opened. This causes the liquid, as it attempts to enter into the container, to be excessively cushioned and agitated. Excessive agitation is also caused by the inherent structural characteristics of the present valves, since the liquid, as it passes through the valves, must pass over sharp corners and useless recesses as it travels, from one port to another onits way to the container to be filled. The present type valve construction makes it practically impossible to clean the orifices and ports in the valve and results in unsatisfactory sanitary conditions.

It is within the contemplation of my invention to provide a rotary flat valve which permits the ports for venting the pressure from the container back to the reservoir to be retained in opened position simultaneously with the opening of the port for the liquid to flow from the reservoir towards the container and to remain in opened position during the flow of liquid and thereby prevent turbulence, and to further prevent turbulence by eliminating all obstructions to the flow of the liquid.

The quintessence of my invention resides in the provision of certain structural features in a rotary flat valve used in apparatus employing the counterpressure principle, which entirely eliminates the possibility of any turbulence during the transferring of liquid having inherent foaming or elfervescing characteristics from a reservoir to a container.

An important object of the invention is to permit the venting of the displaced air or gas emanating from the container as it is being filled with liquid throughout the entire filling operation and to eliminate the slightest turbulence of the liquid during its transfer from the reservoir to the container.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a rotary fiat valve, the structural characteristics of which allow it to be easily cleaned and worn out parts easily replaced.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a rotary fiat valve which is less costly to manufacture than the rotary type valve presently employed.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a rotary flat valve designed to accurately perform each step prior to, during, and subsequent to the filling operation with a minimum of effort and waste and an optimum of accuracy.

Other advantages and novel characteristics of my invention will become apparent and more readily understood from the detailed description which follows and from the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which:

Fig. l is an elevational viewpartly in cross-section, of a representative type of counterpressure filling apparatus, illustrating the relationship of the filling heads containing the valves embodying my invention to the reservoir containing the product to be packaged and air or gas under pressure;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a rotary fiat valve embodying the principles of my invention showing in dotted lines the relationship of the ports and recesses at the time the valve is in position for filling the container with liquid and simultaneously venting the air or gas from the container;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the rotary flat valve embodying the principles of my invention, also showing in dotted lines the relationship between the ports and recesses during the filling and venting operations;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation, partly in cross-section, of the rotary fiat valve embodying the principles of my invention, showing the relationship of the various ports and recesses at the time the valve is in closed position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation, partly in cross-section, of a rotary flat valve embodying my invention, showing the relationship of the ports and recesses when the valve is positioned for counterpressuring the container;

' position of the various ports and recesses when the valve embodying my invention is closed to prevent the flow of liquid and air or gas therethrough;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the valve embodying the principles of my invention, showing the relationship of the ports and recesses when the valve is in position for the air or gas (counterpressure) to flow into the container; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 2, showing the relationship of the various ports and recesses during the filling and venting operation.

Referring to Fig. 1, which discloses a representative counterpressure filling apparatus, there is shown a reservoir 1 into which beer is delivered from a source of supply, not shown, by means of pipe 2, which is joined to the bottom thereon and which passes through stationary support 3. Air or gas, such as carbon dioxide, is fed into the reservoir 1 from a source of supply, not shown, by means of a pipe 4, and in order to control the inflow and exhaust of the air or gas in the reservoir and maintain pressure above the liquid in said reservoir at a desired pressure, a valve and float assembly 5 of well known construction is positioned in and above the reservoir. A plurality of container supports of well known construction, and herein designated generally by reference character A, are rotated around the stationary support 3 in a well known manner and the containers positioned thereon are brought into alignment with the filling heads next to be described. A plurality of filling heads, generally designated by reference character B, are removably secured to support 3 in any well known manner and so positioned in respect to the container supports A as to permit the containers to come into alignment with a head as the container support moves.

Broadly considered, only the rotary flat valves of the filling head B have been modified. However, in order to effectively and clearly render a detailed description of my invention and point out its advantages, all structural characteristics of the filling heads, whether new or old, will be described. Since all filling heads have the same structural characteristics, the description of one should suffice for all.

Each filling head B, beneath which all steps in the filling operation are carried on, consists of a stationary body portion 6, cylindrical in general contour, and has an externally threaded member 7 to which a filling nozzle 8 is attached. Since the structural features of the nozzle are well known, there is no need to fully descibe them. Body portion 6 of each filling head B is tightly secured to the stationary support 3 by any well known means, as by nuts and bolts 9. A circular depression is providedin body portion 6, as shown at 10, and a stud 11 extends centrally from the depression 10. Body portion 6 has a cylindrical bore 12 passing through its body, one end of which joins and coincides with pipe 13 and the other end of which emanates through depression 1 1. Another cylindrical bore 14, having a diameter equal to that of bore 12, 'but'which, however, is L-shaped, is also formed in body portion 6. This bore also emanates from depression 10, but its other end passes through member 7. Still another cylindrical bore 15, the diameter of which is substantially less than the diameter of bores 12 and 14, extends through body portion 6 in spaced parallel relationship to these bores, one end of which joins and coincides with pipe 16 and the other end of which also emanates from depression 119. Finally, another cylindrical-bore 17, equalin diameter to the diameter of bore 15, but L-shaped in contour, extends through depression 10 and threaded member 7.

Pipe 13 joins the reservoir 1 at its bottom, and pipe 16 enters thereservoir near the top and extends above the liquid normally contained in the reservoir.

A rotary flat valve 18 is provided with arms 19 and 20 extending 'in angular relation to each other, and arm 20 has an offset 21 extending therefrom. These arms and the offset are employed to move valve .18 intothe predetermined positions for controlling the flow of liquid and air or gas (for counterpressuring) through the various bores in body position 6 in the manner hereinafter to be described.

Valve body 18 is cylindrical in contour and has a bore 22 disposed centrally thereof which fits over stud 11 and is adapted to fit snugly into depression 10. A circular depression is also provided in valve body 18, and a disc 23, the thickness of which is equal to the depth of the depression and which is made of any hard material impervious to fluids and extreme temperature changes, such as a plastic of the polytetrafluoroethylene type, known in the trade by the trademarks Teflon and KelenT, is tightly fitted into this depression. Disc 23 has an arcuate groove 24, crescent-shaped in cross-section, the transverse diameter of which is equal to the diameter of bores 12 or 14, formed in the exposed face of the disc 23 and is so positioned therein as to coincide with the bores 12 and 14 upon the movement of the valve body 18 in relation to body portion 6. Another arcuate groove 25, crescentshaped .in cross-section, the transverse diameter of which is equal to the diameter of bores 15 or 17, is also formed in the exposed face of disc 23 and is positioned therein so as to coincide with bores 15 and 17 upon the movement of the valve body 18 in relation to body portion 6. These arcuate grooves present smooth surfaces to the flow of the liquid and air or gas through the bores and into the container and are adapted for easy cleaning. To prevent leakage of either the liquid or the air or gas passing through the valve body 18 and body portion 6, the disc in the valve body is held in close fitting contact with the face of the depression 10 by means of an adjustable anti-friction device 26, of well known construction, which also :fits over the stud 11 immediately in back of valve body 18, and a nut 27, threadably engageable to the stud 11, retains the valve body and anti-friction device adjusted to insure a tight fitting relationship between the valve bodyand body portion and yet permits the valve to turn freely about the stud 11 without exerting any appreciable retarding effects upon the rotation of the valve.

The arrangement of the bores in the body portion 6 and the grooves in valve body 18 will be more clearly understood from a description of the different positions taken by the valve body in relation to the body portion 6 in carrying out the various steps in the filling cycle. These positions are clearly shown in Figures 4 to 9 inelusive.

When the valve body 18 is rotated into the predetermined position shown in Figs. 4 and 7, the disc 23 completely shuts off bores 14 and 15, and, although bores 12and :17 coincide with grooves 24 and 25 respectively, they too are rendered inoperative. When the arm of valve body 18 contacts the counterpressure trip of the filling-apparatus, valve 18 will be turned, in a counterclockwise direction, to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 8. Groove .25 will then be in communication with both bores 15 .and 17, and air or gas under pressure will pass from reservoir 1 through bore 15 and into bore 17 and finally into the container being counterpressured, as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 8 by the arrows.

When the valve body is again moved in a counterclockwise direction into the position illustrated in Figs. 6 and 9, grooves 24 and 25 will then be in alignment with bores 12 and Hand 15 and 17 respectively, and the liquid from reservoir 1 will flow under its own hydrostatic pressure into the containers as the air or gas in the-container is vented into the reservoir, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 9.

From the foregoing it is evident that the present type disc valves use, as a means of transferring liquids and air or gas, openings either through the movable member or openings which enter at one point on the surface of the movable member and are tunnelled'underneath the surface and then emerge through the surface at another point, leaving aspace between the two .points of opening. By

this construction a point between the counterpressuring position of the movable member and the filling position of the movable member exists at which the counterpressure line to the container is momentarily closed. Since the liquid openings are larger than the counterpressure openings, there is an instant in the motion of the movable member when the liquid line to the container is partially open while the counterpressure line remains closed, causing thereby a slight agitation of the liquid and producing a foaming or bubbling as the liquid first enters the container. The arcuate groove 25 provided in my invention is so placed on the surface of the valve body as to efiect a continuous opening between the bore and the bore 17 during the movement of the valve from the counterpressure position to the filling position, resulting in a practically complete elimination of the foaming or bubbling of the liquid as it enters the container.

Although I have found from actual practice that the valve as shown and described is extremely efiicient in operation, it is quite possible that changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts but which will nevertheless come within the scope of this invention, and therefore I do not wish to limit myself to the disclosure shown and described herein except as specified in the following claims, in which I claim:

1. In a valve to be used in combination with counterpressure filling apparatus comprising, a body portion having a pair of bores therein one of which is L-shaped and both of which pass through said body member, a pair of smaller bores disposed in said body member in spaced relationship to the aforementioned bores one of said smaller bores being also L-shaped, and a valve body movably positioned in tight working relationship to the body portion, said valve body having a pair of arcuate grooves formed therein the transverse diameter of each being determined by the diameter of the respective pairs of bores in the body portion, one of said grooves being for fluid and the other for gas, said grooves being positioned to coincide with their respective bores upon the movement of the valve body in a predetermined arrangement.

2. A filling head for filling bottles or the like with liquid containing a gas under pressure from a closed reservoir comprising, a body portion having pressure bores to connect the bottle to be filled with the upper part of said reservoir before and during the filling operation proper, and liquid carrying bores to permit liquid from said reservoir to flow into said bottle by gravity, and valve means cooperatively associated with said body portion to control the opening and closing of said bores, said valve means having an arcuate groove and adapted to be actuated so as to permit gas to enter the bottle first then to permit liquid to enter the bottle simultaneously as said gas is returned to the reservoir.

3. A filling head for filling containers with liquid containing gas under pressure from a closed reservoir, comprising a body portion adapted to be tightly jointed against the upper edge of the neck of the container to be filled, a pair of bores disposed through said base adapted to deliver gas from the upper part of said reservoir to said container and subsequently return said gas to the reservoir, 21 pair of liquid carrying bores adapted to permit liquid from said reservoir to flow into said bottle by gravity only, and a valve cooperatively associated with said body portion for intermittently permitting the confluence or nonconfluence of said respective pairs of bores with each other.

4. A filling head for filling containers with liquid containing gas under pressure from a closed reservoir, comprising a body portion adapted to be tightly jointed against the upper edge of the neck of the container to be filled, a pair of bores disposed through said base adapted to deliver gas from the upper part of said reservoir to said container and subsequently return said gas to the reservoir, a pair of liquid carrying bores adapted to permit liquid from said reservoir to flow into said bottle by gravity only, and a valve cooperatively associated with said body portion, said valve being provided with an armate groove for fluid passage, and an arcuate groove for gas passage.

References, Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,985,355 Stern Dec. 25, 1934 2,109,489 Le Frank Mar. 1, 1938 2,367,899 Stewart Jan. 23, 1945 2,679,346 Breeback May 25, 1954 2,691,477 Sabalauskas Oct. 12, 1954

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