US3157011A - Air elimination method and apparatus - Google Patents

Air elimination method and apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
US3157011A
US3157011A US125451A US12545161A US3157011A US 3157011 A US3157011 A US 3157011A US 125451 A US125451 A US 125451A US 12545161 A US12545161 A US 12545161A US 3157011 A US3157011 A US 3157011A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
containers
air
bottles
path
open ends
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US125451A
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English (en)
Inventor
William A Wheatley
James F Walker
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Electronic Assistance Corp
Original Assignee
Electronic Assistance Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to NL281134D priority Critical patent/NL281134A/xx
Application filed by Electronic Assistance Corp filed Critical Electronic Assistance Corp
Priority to US125451A priority patent/US3157011A/en
Priority to GB24140/62A priority patent/GB953629A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3157011A publication Critical patent/US3157011A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22—Details
    • B67C3/222—Head-space air removing devices, e.g. by inducing foam
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/06—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus using counterpressure, i.e. filling while the container is under pressure

Definitions

  • This invention relates to means for eliminating undesired air from a container prior to scaling thereof, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for removing trapped air from a bottle of an effervescent liquid prior to crowning.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide improved method and apparatus for eliminating undesired air from a partially filled container of carbonated beverage wherein the fill height may be accurately maintained.
  • An additional object of this invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for purging air from a partially filled container of effervescent substance wherein ubstantially all of the air is eliminated without loss of contents thereof.
  • the benefits of the foaming technique are utilized while at the same time, its disadvantages are avoided.
  • the foaming is controlled so that the generated foam does not overflow the bottle thus eliminating the necessity for an additional rinsing operation. Any air left in the bottle is then displaced by carbon dioxide or other suitable gas applied to the open ends of the bottles under sufficient pressure to achieve the required displacement. Means are also pro vided to retain a blanket or atmosphere of this gas adja cent the open ends of the bottles as they proceed to the crowning apparatus, whereby no further air is permitted to enter the crowning area. By means of this arrangement, substantially all of the trapped air in the bottles is displaced and, since no foam overflows the bottles, the contents remain the same and accurate fill heights may be maintained.
  • FIGURE 1 is a plan View of the present invention in d,l5?,fill Patented Nov. 17, 1964 'ice position on a conventional bottling arrangement which is partially shown;
  • FlGURE 2 is a section through the apparatus taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;
  • FIGURE 3 is a section through the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken at line 3-3.
  • the conventional bottling machinery includes a filling station It) in which the empty bottles 12 are filled with the beverage to be bottled.
  • the filler may be of the pre-mix type where the syrup flavoring and carbonated water are mixed prior to filling, or the constituents may be separately fed to the bottles and mixed therein.
  • the empty bottles are supplied to the filling station by means of an entry star-Wheel or spider 14, which, rotating in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow, transfers the bottles 12 from the intake chute 16 onto the table of the filler 10. By the time the bottles have substantially completed a revolution around the filler table, they have been filled with the carbonated beverage.
  • an exciter unit 28 such as an ultrasonic transducer of the type disclosed in Pray US. Patent No. 2,916,266.
  • This unit includes a shoe portion 30 positioned to contact each of the bottles 12 as it passes the transducer on its way out of the filling station.
  • the ultrasonic energy from the unit 28 causes the content of the bottles to foam rapidly and thereby expel a portion of the air left at the top of the bottle after the filling operation.
  • the transducer unit 2% is mounted on a bracket adjustably fastened to the table of the bottling machinery.
  • a support member 2 mounts the transducer 28 at an angle so that the shoe 30 thereof contacts the bottles at their upper ends adjacent the necks. This arrangement of mounting has been found particularly desirable in the cases of bottles having fluted or otherwise varied thickness walls over their major portion. However, the positioning of the shoe may be varied as desired to accommodate the particular bottling problems presented.
  • the power output of the transducer 28 is so adjusted that the amount of energy transmitted :to the fluid content of the bottle generates a foam which approaches but does not reach the upper end of the bottle.
  • Bracket plate 70 Mounted on the support ring 36 of the filling station It) is a bracket plate 70.
  • a manifold or chamber 72 having an intake port '74 is clamped to the plate 7t) by means of a member '76 bolted or otherwise fastened thereto.
  • the plates '78 and 76 serve to sandwich the end of chamber '72 to firmly fix it into position relative to the support ring 36 and the path of the bottles 12.
  • the mounting arrangement is so placed as to position the chamber 72 over the path of the bottles as they transfer from the exit star wheel 18 to the star Wheel 20.
  • the manifold '72 is thicker at its clamped end and tapers down to a thinner portion Where it overlies the path of the bottles.
  • the latter portion is elongated and fixed at a height to provide slight clearance to the upper ends of the bottles as they pass from the exit star Wheel 18 to the capping star Wheel 20.
  • the chamber 72 has in its underside a plurality of apertures 80 disposed to be over the open ends of the bottles as they pass thereunder. Instead of a plurality of discrete holes, a single elongated slot or a combination of slots and holes may be used.
  • Fixed to the underside of the chamber 72 and extending over a portion of its length are a pair of side Walls or skirts 82.
  • the open end of the conduit 74 is coupled to a source of gas under a pressure slightly higher than atmospheric pressure, for example, of the order of lbs. per square inch.
  • This gas may most conveniently be of a type that is contained in the beverage and which causes the foam, e.g., carbon dioxide, although any gas which would produce no deleterious elfect on the beverage may be used.
  • the bottles leave the filling station and are picked up by the exit star wheel 18, they are agitated by the transducer shoe and foaming of the contents results.
  • the foam thus generated does not quite reach the top of the bottle and serves to partially displace the air left after the filling operation.
  • the gas pressure provided thereat forcibly displaces the remainder of the air remaining in the bottle.
  • the skirt members 82 are effective to retain a blanket of the gas in the area surrounding the open ends of the bottles to prevent more air from entering into this area and consequently from getting back into the containers.
  • As the bottle leaves the chamber 72 it is immediately crowned, and is then ready for packing and shipping. It will be noted that since no foam is Withdrawn from the bottle or allowed to overflow, the total contents of the bottle remains unchanged from filling to crowning. This is particularly desirable where the maintenance of ex tremely accurate fill heights in the bottles is demanded.
  • apparatus for packaging an effervescent liquid which includes conveyor means for continually moving a series of containers along a predetermined path and means for partially filling said containers with the liquid at a point along said path, means for removing the air remaining in said containers comprising means for exciting the liquid in each container to generate a foam tending to fill a portion of the remainder of the container, a chamber disposed above a substantial length of said path having outlet means in its underside for applying under pressure a gas other than air to the open ends of said containers as they pass thereunder, whereby air remaining in said container is displaced, means to entrap excess gas from said outlet means to establish an atmosphere of said gas surrounding the open ends of said containers as they pass under said chamber to prevent entry of additional air, and means to hermetically seal the open ends of said containers.
  • Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means to entrap excess gas from said outlet means comprises a skirt depending from each side of said chamber on opposite sides of said bottles as they pass beneath said chamber.

Landscapes

  • Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
US125451A 1961-07-20 1961-07-20 Air elimination method and apparatus Expired - Lifetime US3157011A (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL281134D NL281134A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) 1961-07-20
US125451A US3157011A (en) 1961-07-20 1961-07-20 Air elimination method and apparatus
GB24140/62A GB953629A (en) 1961-07-20 1962-06-22 Method of and apparatus for filling and sealing containers of effervescent liquid

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US125451A US3157011A (en) 1961-07-20 1961-07-20 Air elimination method and apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3157011A true US3157011A (en) 1964-11-17

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US125451A Expired - Lifetime US3157011A (en) 1961-07-20 1961-07-20 Air elimination method and apparatus

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US3157011A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
GB (1) GB953629A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
NL (1) NL281134A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3861116A (en) * 1972-07-15 1975-01-21 Hesser Ag Maschf Apparatus for determining the oxygen content of filled packaging containers
US4180105A (en) * 1978-10-27 1979-12-25 Diamond International Corporation Article inflating system
US4307761A (en) * 1978-10-27 1981-12-29 Diamond International Corporation Article inflating system including an endless belt assembly
US4312171A (en) * 1980-01-24 1982-01-26 Fmc Corporation Method and apparatus for purging air from containers
FR2650557A1 (fr) * 1989-08-05 1991-02-08 Kronseder Maschf Krones Machine pour l'obturation de recipients, notamment a balayage par le gaz carbonique
US7040075B2 (en) 2001-08-08 2006-05-09 The Clorox Company Nitrogen cap chute end
WO2015000697A1 (en) * 2013-07-03 2015-01-08 Nomacorc Llc Apparatus, method and system for reducing the oxygen content in a product container
WO2016207130A1 (en) 2015-06-23 2016-12-29 Corna Frederico Device for rendering inert bottled effervescent liquids before sealing
IT201900020388A1 (it) * 2019-11-05 2021-05-05 D M C S R L Impianto e metodo di confezionamento di birra in un contenitore
WO2023023413A3 (en) * 2021-08-18 2023-04-20 Christian Michael B System and method for self releasing champagne cork with electromechanical release mechanism

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2157131A (en) * 1937-05-05 1939-05-09 American Can Co Can cooling and drying machine
US2199565A (en) * 1937-12-04 1940-05-07 Liquid Carbonic Corp Bottle gassing machine
US2329304A (en) * 1939-12-19 1943-09-14 Crown Cork & Seal Co Method and apparatus for packaging beverages
US2372457A (en) * 1941-02-13 1945-03-27 Crown Cork & Seal Co Method for packaging beverages
US2854039A (en) * 1954-10-22 1958-09-30 Continental Can Co Apparatus for minimizing air content in canned carbonated beverages
US2950587A (en) * 1958-03-19 1960-08-30 Owens Illinois Glass Co Method of and apparatus for closing glass containers
US2962060A (en) * 1958-03-19 1960-11-29 Owens Illinois Glass Co Packaging apparatus

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2157131A (en) * 1937-05-05 1939-05-09 American Can Co Can cooling and drying machine
US2199565A (en) * 1937-12-04 1940-05-07 Liquid Carbonic Corp Bottle gassing machine
US2329304A (en) * 1939-12-19 1943-09-14 Crown Cork & Seal Co Method and apparatus for packaging beverages
US2372457A (en) * 1941-02-13 1945-03-27 Crown Cork & Seal Co Method for packaging beverages
US2854039A (en) * 1954-10-22 1958-09-30 Continental Can Co Apparatus for minimizing air content in canned carbonated beverages
US2950587A (en) * 1958-03-19 1960-08-30 Owens Illinois Glass Co Method of and apparatus for closing glass containers
US2962060A (en) * 1958-03-19 1960-11-29 Owens Illinois Glass Co Packaging apparatus

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3861116A (en) * 1972-07-15 1975-01-21 Hesser Ag Maschf Apparatus for determining the oxygen content of filled packaging containers
US4180105A (en) * 1978-10-27 1979-12-25 Diamond International Corporation Article inflating system
US4307761A (en) * 1978-10-27 1981-12-29 Diamond International Corporation Article inflating system including an endless belt assembly
US4312171A (en) * 1980-01-24 1982-01-26 Fmc Corporation Method and apparatus for purging air from containers
FR2650557A1 (fr) * 1989-08-05 1991-02-08 Kronseder Maschf Krones Machine pour l'obturation de recipients, notamment a balayage par le gaz carbonique
BE1006760A5 (fr) * 1989-08-05 1994-12-06 Kronseder Maschf Krones Boucheuse.
US7040075B2 (en) 2001-08-08 2006-05-09 The Clorox Company Nitrogen cap chute end
WO2015000697A1 (en) * 2013-07-03 2015-01-08 Nomacorc Llc Apparatus, method and system for reducing the oxygen content in a product container
WO2016207130A1 (en) 2015-06-23 2016-12-29 Corna Frederico Device for rendering inert bottled effervescent liquids before sealing
IT201900020388A1 (it) * 2019-11-05 2021-05-05 D M C S R L Impianto e metodo di confezionamento di birra in un contenitore
WO2023023413A3 (en) * 2021-08-18 2023-04-20 Christian Michael B System and method for self releasing champagne cork with electromechanical release mechanism

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL281134A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
GB953629A (en) 1964-03-25

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