US2993517A - Carton filler - Google Patents

Description

uly 1951 B. R. VAN SLYCK EI'AL CARTON FILLER Filed Jan. 15, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 i mipmill INVENTORS BERT R. VAN SLYCK HUGH M. BROWNLEE ATTORNEY CARTON FILLER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1958 on at om. 3; m? m2 m9 INVENTORS BERT R. VAN SLYCK HUGH M. BROWNLEE ATTO RNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 mom l 03 9 mm m s00. .3 1. N m 9 79 16 0a mm 4-1. f v 6 0Q 8Q I mm EU N LBH NE W N2 N9 w: l 3 N Q: A mmm om.

ATTORNEY July 25, 1961 B. R. VAN SLYCK EIAL CARTON FILLER Filed Jan. 15, 1958 BY Mom y 1961 B. R. VAN SLYCK ETA]. 2,993,517

CARTON FILLER Filed Jan. 15, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS I i EI BERT R. VAN SLYOK HUGH M. BROWNLEE BY mm 4. /W

ATTO RN EY y 1961 B. R. VAN SLYCK ErAl. 2,993,517

CARTON FILLER Filed Jan. 15, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 F'Il3 Ei INVENTORS BERT R. VAN SLYCK HUGH M. BROWNLEE ATTO RN EY United States Patent 2,993,517 CARTON FILLER Bert R. Van Slyck, Oswego, and Hugh M. Brownlee,

Portland, 0reg., assignors to Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation, 'San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 709,014 12 Claims. (Cl. 141-147) This invention appertains to carton handling apparatus and relates more particularly to machines for filling cartons of a type commonly employed for packaging food products.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved carton filling machine.

Another object is to provide an automatic, high speed machine for filling such cartons as those commonly employed to pack-age food products to be frozen and offered for sale in quantities suitable for sale in retail trade channels.

Another object is to provide an improved and simplified machine for filling cartons with measured quantities of a food product while the cartons are in rapid, continuous flow.

Another object is to provide a carton filing machine of the rotary type that fills cartons as they are successively advanced to, past, and from the machine on a single, nearly straight conveyor.

Another object is to provide an improved and simplified mechanism for causing a measured charge of the material being packaged to be deposited in each carton as the same is advanced past the filling machine.

Another object is to provide an improved device for operating the material discharging mechanism, which device is dependent for its operation upon the presence of a carton in receiving position with relation to the material depositing mechanism, thus preventing release'of any of the material from the depositing means at any time that no carton is in position to receive the material.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of the carton filling machine of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical medial section of the filling machine, taken in a plane perpendicular to the line of travel of the cartons being served by the machine.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation partly broken away, viewed as indicated by the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIGURE 5 is a plan, partly broken away, of the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 4.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 3.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged elevation of the closing trip pin of the filling machine of the invention, viewed as indicated by the line 7-7 of FIG. 3.

In general the carton filling machine 10 of the invention (FIG. 1) comprises a rotary turret 12 carrying a circular array of measuring cups 14 open at the top and adapted to be filled from a circular distributing table 16 defining the top of the turret. As the turret 12 rotates,

Patented July 25, 1961 the cups are carried successively to, past, and from a carton conveyor 18, a part of which is disposed below one side of the turret. The conveyor 18 carries a continuous succession of evenly spaced cartons C (FIG. 3) 0f the top-opening type, momentarily registering each carton -C with one of the measuring cups 14. As a carton arrives in receiving position below a measuring cup, the carton engages and activates a no carton, no fill mechanism 20 (FIGS. 1 and 3-5) to move into operating position a trip pin 22 (FIGS. 3-5) that withdraws a valve plate or gate 24 from closing relation with the bottom of the respective measuring cup 14, permitting the entire measured contents of the cup to gravitate substantially instantaneously into the carton without interrupting the advance of the carton on its conveyor or the circular motion of the measuring cup. After each measuring cupis emptied, its valve plate is closed and while the cup follows the balance of its circular orbit it is refilled to capacity from the distributing table 16 and thus is prepared to discharge a measured quantity of the material being packaged into another carton when the cup again completes a full revolution. Thus, during each rotation of the turret 12 a number of cartons corresponding to the number of measuring cups 14 on the turret 12 are filled and discharged without interrupting their advance along the conveyor 18 and Without altering their spacing thereon.

The carton filling machine 10 comprises frame structure '30 including a hollow pedestal 32 (FIGS. 1 and 2) mounted upon a base 34 rectangular in plan and having a downturned flange 36. A vertically adjustable supporting foot 33 is provided at each corner of the base 34, consisting of a stud 40 having a head 42 at its lower end and screwed into preferably two aligned nuts 44 (FIG. 2) that are welded to the inner surface of the flange 36. Within the pedestal 32 a system of cross braces 46 of channel-shaped cross section supports an anti-friction bearing 48 within which the lower end of a vertical turret shaft 50 is rotatably mounted. The shaft 50 extends through a plate 52 that defines the top of the pedestal 32 and which mounts another anti-friction bearing 54 for the shaft 50. The turret 12 is carried by the upper end of the shaft 50.

The turret 12 comprises a horizontally disposed head 62 of circular form and rigid with the upper end of the shaft 50, whose axis passes through the center of the circular head 62. A support plate 64 likewise of circular form is rigidly mounted upon the head 62 in concentric parallel relation therewith and spaced thereabove by a plurality of spacer sleeves 66 disposed at intervals about the periphery of the head 62. A bolt 68 extending through each sleeve 66 and having a nut 7 ti screwed onto its lower end below the turret head 62 rigidly secures the support plate 64 to the head for rotation therewith in a horizontal plane. Y

The hereinbefore mentioned circular distributing table 16 is mounted upon the support plate 64 in concentric relation therewith and is vertically adjustable with respect thereto by means of a plurality of studs 72 disposed at equal angular distances about the center of the table 16. The studs 72 are rigidly secured to the under surface of the table 16 and extend rigidly downward therefrom plate 64. Each stud is screwed into a sprocket nut 76' 3 that is rotatably mounted below the support plate 64 by means of a pair of opposed guide strips 78 engaged within an annular groove 80 in the sprocket nut and rigidly secured to the under surface of the support plate from which they are spaced by suitable spacer strips 82. At least one of the sprocket nuts 76 is equipped with a hand wheel 84 for manually turning the sprocket nut; and a sprocket chain 86 trained around the several sprocket nuts 76 causes all of them to be turned to the same extent when t-he hand wheel 84 is turned. In this manner the spacing between the support plate 64 and the distribution table 16 can be varied without disturbing the horizontal disposition of either.

A plurality of rectangular apertures 90 are formed in the distribution table 16 at equal angular distances apart and at the same radial distance from the center of the table. An upstanding rim flange 92' on the distributing table prevents loss of the bulk material to be packed as the material is spread over the surface of the table 16.

A volumetric measuring cup 14 is associated with each aperture 90 of the distributing table 16. Each measuring cup 14 is of rectangular horizontal section and comprises an upper part 94 secured to the under surface of the table 16 in position encircling the associated aperture 90 and projecting downward therefrom into tele- 14. Each stop pin 118 is adapted to be engaged by an edge of the associated valve plate 24 that leads while the valve plate is moving out from under the associated measuring cup and is arranged to stop such movement of the valve plate when the same is only slightly beyond the position in which it clears the lower end of the space within the associated measuring cup 14.

Welded or otherwise secured to the lower end of each sleeve '100 are a gate opening lever 120 and a gate closin-g lever 122 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 6), the former preferably having an offset therein to dispose its end portion at a lower elevation than the latter. During rotation of the turret 12, and under circumstances presently to be described, the opening levers -120 are adapted to successively engage the hereinabove mentioned trip pin 22 (FIGS. 2-5), which remains stationary during such engagement to cause each lever 120 to swing its associated valve plate 24 to open position, carrying with it the associated closing lever 122' to dispose the latter in a position to engage a stationary trip pin 126 (FIGS. 2 and 3) shortly after the contents of the associated measuring cup have been discharged therefrom.

scopic relation with the lower part 96 which is secured to and projects upward from the support plate 64. In view of this telescopic relationship of the two parts 94 and 96 of each measuring cup 14, the volumetric capacity thereof is subject to adjustment, and since the several sprocket nuts 76 are interconnected for simultaneous and equal rotation so as to preserve the parallel relation of the support plate 64 and the table 16, any adjustgent of the cups 14 will be uni-form throughout all of A retractable valve plate or gate 24 is associated with each measuring cup 14 in a manner adapting the gate to temporarily close the lower end of the cup. The cups 14 should be so adjusted by manipulation of the hand wheel 84 that during the time that a gate 24 is in closed position, the associated cup when filled to the level of the upper surface of the distributing table 16 contains a quantity of the material to be packaged equal to the quantity desired to be filled into each carton C.

Each gate 24 is a fiat metal plate of somewhat larger area than the lower end of the associated measuring cup 14 and having an extension 98 at one side to which the upper end of a sleeve 100 is welded. The sleeve 100 has a bushing 102 (FIG. 6) tightly fitted therein which is rotatable upon a stud 104 that extends rigidly downward from the support plate 64. Each stud 104 extends through the associated valve plate 24 and is threaded to receive a nut 106 and a lock nut 108. Under suitable compression between the nut 106 and the lower ends of the sleeve 100 and its bushing 102 is a friction element 110 comprising two washers 112 of rubber or similar material characterized by a high coefficient of friction and a spacer annulus 114 of fibre or the like. It is apparent, therefore, that although the friction element 110 permits the sleeve 100 and the valve plate 24 carried thereby to turn about the associated stud 104 under the influence of a positive torque applied thereto, the friction element 110 presents suflicient resistance to turning to prevent the associated valve plate 24 from bouncing when.

it strikes either of two associated stops 116 or 118 that limit the angular distance that the valve plate can turn. The stops 11 6 and 118 (FIGS. 2 and 3) are rigid with the support plate 64 and project downward from the under surface thereof into the path within which the associated valve plate 24 moves relatively to the support plate 64.- Each stop 116 is adapted to be engaged by the edge of the associated valve plate 24 that leads when the valve plate is being closed, and is so located that it stops the valve plate when the same isin position completely closing the lower end of the associated measuring cup During operation of the carton filling machine 10 the turret 12 is rotated at constant speed by a sprocket chain (FIG. 2) trained around a driven sprocket 132 rigid with the turret shaft 50 within the pedestal 32. The sprocket chain 130 extends through a suitable opening in a side of the pedestal and is trained around a driving sprocket 134 secured to the lower end of the output shaft 136 of a suitable speed reduction mechanism 138 that is rigidly secured to the under side of a lateral extension 140 of the pedestal top plate 52. The input shaft 142 of the speed reduction mechanism 138 carries two sprocket wheels 144 and 146, respectively, both of which are rigidly secured to the shaft 142. A power input chain 148 2 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is trained around the sprocket 144 and around a driving sprocket (not shown) driven by any suitable source of power. Another sprocket chain 150 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is trained around the other sprocket Wheel 146 on the shaft 142 to receive power therefrom and around a driven sprocket 152. (FIG. 1) secured to a shaft 154 extending transversely of the conveyor 18 at a location spaced from the region of the conveyor 18 where the latter passes beneath the circular orbit of the measuring cups 14. V

The conveyor 18 includes inner and outer bottom bars 158 and 158a, respectively, upon which the cartons C slide as they approach, pass, and depart from the filling machine 10, and inner and outer guide bars 160 and 160a, respectively, disposed above the level of the bottom bars 158 and 158a and spaced apart far enough to accommodate the cartons C therebetween as they are caused to slide along the bottom bars by pusher lugs 162 (FIGS. 2 and 3) of an endless conveyor chain 164 extending longitudinally of the conveyor 18. The bottom bars 158 and 158a are supported by and extend along the upper edges of frame straps 166 and 166a, respectively, to which the bars 158 and 158a are welded. At a point substantially midway between the ends of the conveyor 18, the outer frame strap 166a is supported by brackets 178 (FIGSJI and 2) upstanding from projections 180 integral with the pedestal top extension 140. The inner frame strap 166, however, is unsupported at this region of the conveyor 18, and is relieved along its lower edge to provide clearance (see FIGS. 2 and 4) for the opening levers 120 as they project under the inner bottom bar 158 1 and 3) secured to the conveyor frame straps 166 and 166a, respectively, at suitably spaced points along the conveyor 18.

The lugs 162 on the conveyor chain 164 are spaced apart sufiiciently to accommodate one of the cartons C between each two adjacent lugs, and the chain 164 is trained around and is driven by a sprocket wheel 190 secured to the hereinbefore mentioned shaft 154, which is journalled in suitable bearings 192 (FIG. 3) adjacent the discharge end of the conveyor 18. Adjacent the other end of the conveyor 18, the chain 164 is trained around an idler sprocket (not shown) carried by a shaft 194 (FIG. 1). The upper run 164a (FIGS. 1 and 3) of the conveyor chain 164 extends in a straight line between the sprocket 199 and the said sprocket on the shaft 194, and is slidably supported by a straight chain guide 196 (FIG. 2) suitably supported in fixed position, as by the rods 182 and 182a interconnecting the inner and outer conveyor frame straps 166 and 166a, respectively. The lower run 16412 of the conveyor chain 164 is trained around an idler sprocket 198 (FIGS. 1 and 2) rotatably mounted at the lower end of a bracket 200 in a manner permitting vertical adjustment of the sprocket 198, whereby the conveyor chain 164 can be properly tensioned. The bracket 200 is welded to and projects downward from one of the projections 180 of the pedestal top extension 140.

The conveyor 18 is disposed in such relationship \m'th the turret 12 of the filling machine 10 that when viewed from above it appears to be substantially tangential with respect to the turret. Actually, the conveyor extends past the turret 12 a short distance below the plane of the support plate 64 and vertically below a part of the path in which the measuring cups are caused to move by the rotating turret. Although the conveyor 18 is so nearly straight throughout its length that it closely resembles and operates similarly to a rectilinear conveyor, the stationary members of the conveyor (i.e., the frame straps 166 and 166a, the bottom bars 158 and 158a, and the guide bars 160 and 160a) are curved outward away from the center of the filling machine 10 at the region 202 (FIGS. 1 and 3) of the conveyor where it passes under the support plate 64 at one side of the filling machine. Therefore, in spite of the fact that the pusher lugs 162 travel in a straight line while propelling the cartons toward, past, and beyond the filling machine 10, the cartons themselves deviate slightly from a rectilinear path while traveling under the turrets support plate 64. This arrangement causes the path of the cartons and that of the measuring cups 14 to be congruent for a distance which, though much shorter than in more conventional filling machines wherein the cartons move in an arcuate path but slightly short of a full circle, is considerably longer than would be the case were the line of travel of the cartons straight and merely tangent to the circular orbit of the measuring cups or merely in intersecting relation therewith. Consequently, each carton C is enabled to remain below a measuring cup 14 in registering relation therewith for an interval of suflicient duration for the valve plate 24 of the measuring cup to be withdrawn from closing position below the cup and for the entire contents of the measuring cup to gravi tate into the carton before the path of the carton diverges from the circular orbit of the measuring cup.

As shown in FIG. 3, the extent by which the stationary members of the conveyor 18 deviate from rectilinear configuration is such that before a carton on the conveyor reaches the curved region 282 of the stationary conveyor members, the lug 162 propelling the carton engages the trailing end of the carton at a point adjacent the cartons back wall, whereas after the carton has entered the curved region 202 and has reached the position of maximum displacementfrom straight line progress, the conveyor lug engages the carton adjacent the front wall thereof. It is clear, therefore, that the amount of lateral displacement .6 from straight line progress is considerably less than the front-to-back length of the carton.

Synchronization of the conveyor 18 with the rotary turret 12 is readily obtained since both are driven by the same power source; and the driving connections are so arranged that the linear speeds of both the conveyor and the turret are the same. Moreover, the lugs 162 of the conveyor chain 164 are so spaced and so positioned on the chain that during operation of the apparatus the rotating turret 12 accurately locates a measuring cup 14 over each carton C on the conveyor 18 throughout the period that the carton is advancing along the curved region 202 of the conveyor.

The trip pin 22 (FIGS. 3-5) is engaged successively by the gate opening levers as the measuring cups 14 enter the part of their path that is above the curved region 202 of the stationary members of the conveyor 18. The function of the no carton, no fill mechaism 20, upon which the trip pin 22 is mounted, is to dispose the trip pin in operative position only when a carton to be filled is below the measuring cup 14 whose opening lever 120 is about to reach the region wherein the trip pin operates. As is best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the no carton, no fill mechanism 20 comprises a sensing shoe 210 carried by a lever 212 and secured in selected position of vertical adjustment adjacent the upper end thereof by a set screw 214. The lever 212 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 216 rigid with and projecting outward from the conveyor frame strap 166a so that when the shoe 210 and the upper end of the lever 212 move outward, the lower end of the lever 212 moves inward. The lower end 218 of the lever 212 is deflected inward and is connected by a ball and socket joint 22! to one end of an axially adjustable link 222 whose opposite end is pivotally connected to an arm 224 that is pivotally mounted adjacent its lower end on a bracket 226 rigid with the pedestal 32. The upper end of the arm 224 is bifurcated, and the lower end of the opening trip pin 22 is gripped between the two parts thereof, suitable clamping screws 228 being provided to tighten the engagement of the trip pin 22 within the upper end of the arm. A coil spring 230 under tension between the upper end of the arm 224 and an eye 232 (FIG. 5) carried in suitable position by one of the brackets 178, constantly urges the arm 224 to rotate counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 4 to a retracted, inoperative position.

The parts are so proportioned and arranged that when the spring 231? retracts the arm 224 and trip pin 22 from the position in which they are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the sensing shoe 210 is projected into the path of a carton about to enter the curved region 282 of the stationary member of the conveyor 18. The end 236 (FIG. 5) of the shoe 210 first encountered by the carton is curved outward so that the carton wedges the shoe outward as the carton reaches a position directly under a measuring cup 14 on the rotating turret 12, turning the lever 212 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 4. This causes the arm 224 to turn in the opposite direction until the trip pin 22 assumes the vertical, operative position illustrated in FIGS. 35, wherein it lies in the path of the opening lever 12% of the measuring cup 14 above the carton that is then engaging the sensing shoe. An adjustable stop screw 238 is threaded through a plate 240 secured to the end of the bracket 226, and engages the arm 224 so as to prevent the trip pin 22 from being carried beyond its operating position when a carton engages the sensing shoe 21%. A similarly mounted stop screw 242 is arranged to engage the arm 224 in a manner limiting the distance that the spring 230 can retract the arm 224 and the trip pin 22. When these members are in their retracted positions, the opening levers 120 will clear the trip pin 22 and therefore will'not open their respective valve plates 24. However, when the trip pin 22 is retracted, the sensing shoe-is projected into position to be engaged and thrust aside by the next carton C then approaching on the conveyor 18.

'Thus it may be seen that Whenever a carton C enters a position below one of the measuring cups 14, the mechanism 20will be actuated by that carton to dispose the trip pin 22 in operative position wherein it will be engaged by the opening lever 120 of that measuring cup and, as the turret 12 continues to turn, the pin 22 will turn the lever 120 and thus open the bottom of the measuring cup'by power derived from the rotating turret. But whenever a vacancy occurs on the conveyor 18 in front of a pusher lug 162 approaching the curved region 202 of the stationary members of the conveyor, the sensing shoe 210 will remain still and the trip pin 22 will, therefore, remain in retracted position, with the result that the measuring cup above the vacant space on the conveyor will not be enabled to discharge its contents.

The closing trip pin 126 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 7) is mounted upon and projects upward from a bar 260 that is adjustably secured by bolts 262 to the extension 140 of the pedestal top plate 52 and which projects laterally therefrom as shown in FIG. 3. Since both trip pins 22 and 126 are of the same construction, only the pin 126 need be described in detail. It comprises a closely wound cylindrical coil spring 264 so reinforced at its lower end by a pin 266 (FIG. 7) fitted to the bore of the spring that only the upper part of the spring, above the pin 266, is flexible. It is with this flexible upper end of the trip pin 126 that the closing levers 122 are adapted to engage, and due to its flexibility, the upper, non-reinforced part of the pin 126 will flex if it should be engaged by the closing lever 122 of a valve plate 24 that is jammed, thus avoiding damage to the machine in such an event. Being composed of resilient material, the trip pin 126 will immediately resume its operating position when the stuck closing lever 122 moves past it, and thus be in readiness to operate the closing lever of the next following measuring cup 14. Since the opening trip pin 22 is similarly constructed, it is possessed of the same safety features.

The direction of rotation of the turret 12 of the filling machine 10'is counterclockwise as viewed from above, and the direction in which cartons C advance on the conveyor 18 is from left to right as viewed in FIG. 3. The empty cartons C to be filled can be placed on the conveyor 18 either manually or automatically, or by the discharge conveyor of a carton opening machine (not shown). In any case, the covers of the empty cartons should be opened and folded back far enough to project under a guide bar 250 (FIGS. 1 and 3-5) that is supported by a plurality of suitable brackets 252 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 1) in a position above and parallel to the outer guide bar 160a. The guide bar 250 extends from the inlet end of the conveyor far enough to hold the cover of each carton in a safe, outwardly projecting position until after the carton has started to move under a measuring cup. After this has occurred, if a cover has the tendency to close due to the resiliency of thematerial of which the carton is made, such tendency will be overcome by engagement of the cover which the outer side of the measuring cup 14 then in register therewith, until the carton is discharged from the filling machine '10.

The material to be packaged in the cartons C is placed upon the distributing table 16 in any convenient and suitable manner, as by being dumped thereon from bulk containers or by being fed thereto by a continuously operating supply conveyor. The material should be supplied to a part of the table just beyond (in the direction of turret rotation) the region in which the valve plates 24 of the measuring cups 14 are closed. This makes it possible to spread the bulk material over a large part of the surface of the table 16 in a manner to fill each measuring cup 14 before it reaches the region where its valve plate 24 is opened, as well as to level off the top surface ofthe material within each cup 14, as by a suitable strike-oif plate (not shown), thus insuring that the '8 quantity of material in each cup conforms closely to the quantity desired to be filled into each carton C.

Due to the synchronized operation of the turret 12 and the conveyor 18, an empty carton C will move under each filled measuring cup 14 as the rotating turret moves the cup into position above the conveyor 18. As the carton passes the point where the straight and curved regions of the conveyors stationary members merge, the carton C encounters the sensing shoe 210 of the no carton, no fill mechanism 20, and, as the carton continues to advance, it thrusts the shoe 210 aside and thereby causes the opening trip pin 22 to be erected into the path of the opening lever of the measuring cup 14 which at the time'is above the carton. Consequently, as the turret 12 continues to turn, this opening lever engages the trip pin 22, and since the trip pin is then held motionless, the advancing lever 120 is turned about the axis of its supporting stud 104, provided, of course, that the associated valve plate does not happen to be stuck fast. This motion of the lever 120 swings the valve plate 24 out from under the respective measuring cup 14, thereby permitting the measured quantity of material within the cup to gravitate into the carton C therebelow.

When a measuring cup 14 has traveled but a short angular distance after being emptied, its valve plate 24 is returned to closed position by engagement of its associated closing lever 122 with the closing trip pin 126. This places the measuring cup in readiness to be re-filled before it again moves into position above an empty carton as it again completes a full circuit of its orbit. Due to the somewhat prolonged period of alignment of each carton being filled with the measuring cup from which it is supplied that is attained by the momentary congruency of their respective paths resulting from the presence of the curved region 202 of the conveyors stationary members, complete emptying of the cup 14 into the carton is assured without interrupting or even slowing down the circular motion of the cup or the nearly straight line advance of the carton. Therefore, the cartons C can be filled dependably and accurately while being progressed through the filling machine at high speed, and due to the relatively close angular spacing of the measuring cups 14 about the peripheral region of the turret 12, the cartons can be filled in rapid succession, thus making for a very high rate of output of the carton filling machine 10 of the present invention.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described it will be understood that the apparatus is capable of modification and variation without departing from the principles of the invention and that the scope of the invention should be limited only by the scope and proper interpretation of the claims appended hereto.

The invention having thus been described, what is believed to be new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. A carton filling machine comprising a rotary turret, a conveyor mounted adjacent the turret, means on the conveyor movable in a straight line path and operative While moving in said straight line to propel a carton past the turret, means defining a measuring cup on the turret in position to follow a circular orbit as the turret turns, means for turning the turrent in synchronization with said carton propelling means to dispose the measuring cup above the carton while the carton is advancing on the conveyor, said conveyor including means for guiding a carton in an arcuate path congruent with a part of the circuit orbit of the measuring cup while the carton is propelled past the turret, and means operative when the measuring cup is above the carton to empty the cup into the carton.

2. A carton filling machine comprising a rotary tur: ret, a conveyor mounted adjacent the turret and including pusher means movable in a straight line path adjacent said turret for propelling a'succession of open topped cartons therepast while said pusher moves in said straight line path, means defining a plurality of measuring cups on the turret, means for turning the turret in synchronization with said carton propelling means to dispose successive measuring cups respectively above successive cartons advancing on the conveyor, said conveyor including guiding means operative while each carton is propelled past the turret to guide the carton in an arcuate path congruent with part of the path of the measuring cup thereabove to prolong the period during which the carton remains below the cup, and means operative when a measuring cup is in position above a carton to empty the cup into the carton.

3. A carton filling machine 'comprising'a turret mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane, a conveyor mounted in position extending past the turret, means on the conveyor for propelling a succession of open topped cartons therealong while the propelling means experiences rectilinear movement, means defining a plurality of measuring cups disposed in circular array about the axis of rotation of the turret, means for turning the turret in synchronization with said carton propelling means to dispose successive measuring cups respectively above successive cartons advancing on the conveyor, said conveyor including means operative as each carton passes the turret to guide the carton in a curved path to prolong the period that the carton remains in receiving position with relation to a measuring cup thereabove, and means operative when each measuring cup is in position above a carton to empty the cup into the carton,

4. A carton filling machine comprising a turret mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane, a conveyor mounted in position extending to, past, and from the turret, means moving in a straight line on the conveyor for propelling a succession of open topped cartons therealong, means defining a plurality of measuring cups disposed in circular array about the axis of rotation of the turret, means for turning the turret in synchronization with said carton propelling means to dispose successive measuring cups respectively above successive cartons advancing on the conveyor, means operative when a measuring cup is in position above a carton to empty the cup into the carton, and means on the conveyor for guiding the cartons in an arcuate path congruent with a part of the circular path of the measuring cups thereabove.

5. A carton filling machine comprising a turret mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane, means defining a plurality of measuring cups disposed in circular array about the axis of rotation of the turret, means for turning the turret, a conveyor mounted in position adjacent the turret and including means mounted for movement in a straight line past the turret for propelling a succession of open topped cartons, means for operating said propelling means in synchronization with said turret to dispose successive cartons respectively below successive measuring cups advancing in a circular path on the turret, means operative when a carton is in position below a measuring cup to empty the cup into the carton, and means on the conveyor for guiding the cartons in an arcuate path congruent with a part of the circular path of the measuring cups thereabove to prolong the period during which each carton remains in receiving position below a measuring cup.

6. A filling machine comprising movably mounted measuring cup carrying means, means thereon defining a measuring cup, a valve plate pivotally mounted on said carrying means for movement to and from closing relation with said measuring cup, actuating means operably connected to the valve plate, trip means mounted adjacent said carrying means in position to be engaged by the actuating means as the measuring cup moves relatively to the trip means, and a friction element interposed between the valve plate and the carrying means yieldably resisting motion of the valve plate relative to the carrying means to and from closing relation with said measuring cup.

7. A filling machine comprising movably mounted measuring cup carrying means, means thereon defining a measuring cup, a valve plate pivotally mounted on said carrying means for movement to and from closing relation with said measuring cup, actuating means operably connected to the valve plate, trip means mounted adjacent said carrying means in position to be engaged by the actuating means as the measuring cup moves relatively to the trip means, a friction element interposed between the valve plate and the carrying means yieldably resisting motion of the valve plate in either direction about its pivot, and regulating means mounted on said carrying means for varying the friction developed by said friction means,

8. A filling machine comprising movably mounted carrying means, a measuring cup mounted thereon for movement therewith according to a predetermined path, a pivot pin rigid with said carrying means, a valve plate mounted on said pivot pin for movement thereabout to and from closing relation with said measuring cup, a lever operably connected to said valve plate, trip means mounted adjacent said carrying means in the path of said lever, a nut on said pivot pin, and a friction element under compression between said nut and a part of said valve plate yieldably resisting movement of the valve plate in either direction about the pivot pin.

9. A filling machine comprising movably mounted carrying means, a measuring cup mounted thereon for movement thereby, a pivot pin rigid with said carrying means, a valve plate mounted on said pivot pin for movement thereabout to and from closing relation with said measuring cup, a lever operably connected to said valve plate, trip means mounted adjacent said carrying means in the path of said lever, two friction washers encircling said pivot pin, a spacing annulus interposed between said friction Washers, and a nut on said pivot pin frictionally engaging one of said friction washers and pressing the other friction washer into frictional engagement with said valve plate to yieldably resist movement of said valve plate in either direction about said pivot pin.

10. A filling machine comprising movably mounted measuring cup carrying means, a measuring cup carried thereby, a valve plate mounted on said carrying means for movement to and from closing relation with said measuring cup, a lever operably connected to said valve plate, and a resiliently flexible trip pin mounted adjacent said carrying means in position for engagement by said lever to move the valve plate relatively to the measuring cup as the carrying means moves relatively to the trip pin, said trip pin being sufl'iciently flexible to be deflected to inoperative position upon engagement of the trip pin by the lever when the valve plate is jammed, said trip pin being restored to operative position by its own inherent resiliency upon passage of the lever past the trip pin.

11. A dispensing device comprising means defining a measuring cup mounted for movement along a predetermined path, a pivot movable with the measuring cup, a valve plate rotatable about the pivot to and from closing relation with the cup, and a lever operably connected to said valve plate, a trip pin being mounted adjacent said predetermined path and engageable by the lever to move the lever and the valve plate about the pivot pin, said trip pin being sufliciently flexible to be deflected and thereby to become inoperative to turn the lever and valve plate about the pivot when the valve plate is jammed, said trip pin being sufiiciently resilient to be restored to operative position upon becoming disengaged from the lever.

12. In a dispensing device, a turret, an open bottom measuring cup carried by said turret, a valve plate pivotally mounted on said turret for movement to and from closing relation with the'open bottom of said measuring cup, a lever connected to said valve plate andhaving a Valve-opening and avalv e-closing arm, a first pin mounted in fixed position adjacent said turret in the path of movementof said valve-opening arm to be engaged thereby during rotation of said turret, said first pin being arranged to move said valve plate away from closing relation :With said measuring cup, and a second pin mounted in fixed position adjacent said turret and in the path of said valve-closing arm to be contacted thereby during rotation of said turret whereby said valve plate is moved to closing relation with said measuring cup.

References Cited 'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Pierce June 22, 1897 Englen May 23, 1911 Englen Jan. 8, 1918 Steere July 13, 1920 Rowe Oct. 20, 1931 Burnett Oct. 17, 1939 Nordqnist Dec. 30, 1941 Bingham Jan. 10, 1950 Haase et al Dec. 11, 1951 Frenstad Oct. 23, 1956

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