US3316945A

US3316945A - Container filling machine

Info

Publication number: US3316945A
Application number: US344011A
Authority: US
Inventors: Brinkley Earl; Young E Gordon
Original assignee: Kartridg Pak Co
Current assignee: Kartridg Pak Co
Priority date: 1964-02-11
Filing date: 1964-02-11
Publication date: 1967-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-02

Description

y 2, 1967 E. BRINKLEY ETAL. 3,316,945

CONTAINER FILLING MACHINE Filed Feb. 11, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet l #6 w/ I /5 H3 #3 //6 I [/6 H6- INVENTORS.

I /6 F lm BR/N/(LEY I E ammo/v YOU/V6 EFF; 5

y 2, 1957 E. BRINKLEY ETAL 3,3l6,945

CONTAINER FILLING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 11, 1964 78 O i liil.

INVENTORS [51m am If GURU BY .a valve in the bottom thereof which United States PatentO 3,316,945 a CONTAINER FILLING MACHINE Earl Brinkley and E Gordon Young, Mount Prospect, 11]., assigno'rs to The Kartridg Pak Cm, Davenport, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed Feb. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 344,011 Claims. (Cl. 141-140) This invention relates to machines for filling containers with liquid materials and is more particularly concerned with improvements in an automatic filling machine of the rotary mul-ti-station type for sequentially filling containers with a measured volume of liquid as the containers successively pass through the machine.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a rotary multi-station container filling machine which operates automatically upon delivery of a succession of containers thereto to deliver a pre-measured volume of liquid into each successive container as the containers move in a circular path beneath a plurality of peripherally spaced, valve controlled measuring heads which are operated by elevating the containers into engagement with the heads.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a rotary multi-station filling machine for dispensing into successive containers .a pre-measured volume of liquid wherein a plurality of measuring cups are mounted for vertical reciprocation in apertures in the bottom of a circular bowl or tank which is filled with a liquid to a predetermined level, the cups being open at the top and being reciprocated, by engagement with the containers, be-

tween a cup filling position where the open top is below the level of the liquid in the bowl and a discharge position where the top of the cup is above the liquid level in the bowl and each cup having a discharge valve in the bottom thereof which is operated to drain'the contents of the cup into the container which is in engagement therewith.

It is another object of the invention to provide a multistation rotary type filling machine for dispensing liquid into a series of successive containers which are moved into position beneath a plurality of measuringcups which are mounted in a rotating supply tank in which the liquid is maintained at a constant predetermined level and the cups are reciprocated between an immersed position below the level of the liquid in the tank and a container filling position where the opentop of the cup is above the level of the liquid inthe tank, with each cup having is opened, so as to drain the contents of the cup into a container, by a segmental circular ca-rn at the top of the tank which is engaged by a cam follower on a valve lifting stem.

1 It is a further object of the invention toprovide an automatic liquid filling apparatus comprising a rotatably mounted, upwardly opening, cylindrical tank having vertically disposed spaced Walls extending about the periphery with the'inner wall being of lesserheight than the outer Wall sothat a supply of liquid may be maintained at a constant level in the tank with excess liquid spilling over the inner wall into a collecting receptacle, the tank having a plurality of measuring cups mounted in spaced apertures in the bottom wall thereof which are each vertically reciprocable between a cup filling position where the top of the cup is below the level of the liquid in the tank and a container filling position where the cup is elevated to bring the top above the level of the liquid in the "tank by engagingthe open top of a container to be filled with the lower end of the cup and raising the container to a predetermined position, each cup having a valve opening in the bottom thereof and a ball valve which is supported on a vertically disposed stem which stem has a cam follower on its upper end for engagement with a fixed opmembers 15 are mounted. The platform aerosol-type containers.

19 on the top end of a supporting turret 13 and tothe pockets of the 3,316,945 Patented May 2, 1967 erating cam positioned above the tank, the cam being arranged so that it is engaged by a cam follower only when there is a container positioned beneath thecup.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the machine which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGUREI is a plan view of the filling machine which incorporates the principles of the invention, with portions of the machine being broken away;

FIGURE 2 isa partial vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, to a larger scale;

FIGURE 3 is a partial vertical section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1, to a still larger scale; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a liquid dispensing machine which is particularlyadapted for use in connection with the filling of liquid products into The apparatus is, however, not limited to the filling of any particular type of container or to the dispensing of any particular liquid material.

The apparatus comprises a hollow base assembly 10 (FIGURES 1 and 2) of generally cylindrical shape having a vertically disposed central hub 11 on which there is rotatably mounted, by means of vertically spaced bearings :12 and 12, a ring-like platform support 13. The platform support 13 has 'an upwardly facing, horizontally disposed annular surface 14 on which a'plurality of circumferentially spaced container receiving platform support support ring 13 also carries a bowl-like liquid supply tank or reservoir 16 and associated valve assemblies 17 disposed above the platform support members 15. The platform support ring 13 is provided with a ring gear 18 which is driven by a pinion vertical drive shaft 20. The drive shaft 20 is mounted in the bearing formation 21 in the base assembly 10 and at its lower end has a shear pin connection 22 with a motor 23 mounted on a bracket 24 within the base 10. This provides a direct drive forrotating the turret-like support member 13.

The base assembly 10 supports at one side of the machine an infeed and outfeed conveyor assembly 25 (FIGURE 1) for delivering the empty containers C to the platform support members 15 at the entry side of the for removing them at the discharge side of the turretafter they traverse the circular path of the turret and receive a charge of liquid. The

conveyor assembly 25 comprises an endless belt, orchain carries the containers C from the conveyor run 26 across a horizontally disposed supporting plate 28 to the platform supports 15. The star wheel 27 is supported on the upper end of a vertical shaft 29. A. helical container spacing screw assembly 30 extends along the side of the conveyor run 26 for spacing the containers for delivery star wheel 27. The conveyor run 26 extends generally tangential to the path ofthe turret 13 andthe filled containers are delivered fromtheturret back to the same conveyor by a star Wheel 31 which is mounted on a vertically disposed shaft 32 on the opposite side of a horizontally disposed edge or side guide number 34. The guide member34 providesgtwo semicircular surfaces 35 'of the path for the star wheels27 and adjustable inner section 37 which is and 36 which form the outer periphery containers as they move around the 31. The guide member 34 has an pivotally mounted at 38 and which is adjustable by means of a rotating cam 39 for accommodating containers of different diameters so as to insure that they are properly positioned on the platform members 15 When delivered thereto by the star wheel 27. The star wheel shafts 29 and 32 are supported in vertically disposed bearing formations and 41 on a side extension of the base assembly 10 and these shafts carry at their

lower ends sprockets

42 and 43 which are connected by a chain 44 with a sprocket 45 on the main drive shaft 20. The chain 44 also drives the sprocket 46 on a vertically disposed stub shaft 47 and a tightener sprocket 48. The shaft 47 has a sprocket 49 which is connected by a chain 50 with a sprocket 51 on the lower end of a vertically disposed drive shaft 52. A right angle connector 53 at the upper end of the shaft 52 provides a driving connection with the container spacing screw 30.

The platform members or assemblies 15 each comp-rise a horizontally disposed container supporting plate 54 having a depending stem 55 which is slidably mounted in one of a plurality of vertically disposed bearing forming bores 56 spaced about the outer margin of the turret member 13. The stems 55 each carry a cam follower roller 57 on the lower end thereof which cam follower 57 is adapted to ride on the track formed by the top edge of a cylindrical platform cam 58. The cam 58 is mounted in fixed position on the edge of the top face 59 of the base assembly 10. A guide rod 60 depends from an inner end of each of the plates 54 and is received in sliding relation in a vertically disposed guide forming bore 61 in the turret member 13.

The bowl or tank forming assembly 16 has a circular aperture 64 in the center and an outer liquid receiving annular trough 65 extending about the peripheral margin which opens upwardly. The bowl assembly 16 is connected to the turret forming support member 13 by a series of depending pins 66 which are received in sliding relation in hollow vertical posts 67, the latter projecting upwardly of the surface 14 of the turret member 13. The bowl or tank assembly 16 has an outer wall 68 which rises a predetermined distance above the top edge 70 of an inner wall 71. An inwardly extending, downwardly inclined rim section 72 extends from the inner wall edge 70 to the center opening 64 so that when liquid in the trough 65 rises above the edge 70 of the inner wall 71 it will spill over the edge 70 and down the inclined rim surface 72 for discharge through the opening 64 into the top of a funnel-like collecting member 73 which is supported on the top edge of a vertically disposed tubular post 74. The post 74 extends upwardly from the base 13 with its upper end received in the hub 11 and with its lower end closed by a plate 75 having secured on its inner face an upstanding nut-like member 76 in which a supporting rod 77 is threadedly received. The rod 77 is adapted to be rotated to raise and lower the post 74 so as to adjust the upper edge of the funnel member 73 relative to the lower edge of the flange 72 of the bowl assembly 16. The support rod '77 is supported at its lower end in a bearing box 78 and has a gear connection with a linkage 79 extending to the wall of the base assembly 10 and receiving a handle 80 for manually rotating the same so as to turn the support rod 77 and raise and lower the post 74. The funnel member 73 has a discharge opening 81 at the bottom end thereof to which a discharge hose '82 is connected for draining off the liquid which spills over into the funnel member 73 and returning it to the liquid supply. A top cover member 83 is provided for the assembly 16 which has a depending hub-like sleeve forming section 84 at the center for mounting the same on the upper post forming portion 85 of a supporting bracket 86. The bracket 86 has a plurality of outwardly and downwardly inclined legs 87 with the lower ends thereof seated on a shelf forming flange 88 defining a cylindrical section 89 at the lower center of the funnel member 73. The cover member 83 has a series of removable sections 90 providing ready access to the inside of the bowl assembly 16. The post forming portion 85 of the bracket 86 is hollow and accommodates a conduit 91 through which fluid is delivered to the trough 65 in the bowl assembly 16.

The bowl assembly 16 is provided around its periphery with a series of measuring cup and valve assemblies 17 each of which comprises a cylindrical cup member 92 having an open upper end and a plug-like member 93 in the lower end. The plug forming member 93 constitutes a part of a cap assembly 95 which is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed, radially extending protuberances 96 each having a vertical bore 97 for receiving a guide forming pin 98. The guide pins 98 depend from the bottom wall 100 of the assembly *16. The cup 92 is mounted for vertical movement within a sleeve 101 which is fixed in an aperture 102 in the bottom wall 100. A bellows forming member 103 has its lower edge clamped in the aperture 102 by the sleeve 101. The upper edge of the bellows 103 is secured about the top margin of the cup 92. The bellows member 103 may lbfi formed of any suitable material which is resistant to the liquids with which the apparatus is employed and which is adapted to form an impervious, expansible shield between the top edge of the cup 92 and the bottom wall of the trough so that the cup 92 may be raised and lowered without liquid escaping through the aperture 102. The plug member 93 at the lower end of the cup 92 is provided with an axially extending discharge opening 104 terminating at a valve seat formation 105 for a ball valve 106 which is mounted on the bottom end of a vertically disposed rod 107. The rod 107 extends upwardly through an aperture 108 provided in the top wall forming member 83 and carries on its upper end a block M0 on which a cam follower roller 111 is mounted. The block is provided with an aperture 112 for receiving a vertically disposed guide rod 113 which extends upwardly of the top surface of the cover member 83 and which carries a compression spring 114 for limiting the upward movement of the block 1 10. The cam follower roller 111 is adapted to ride on the track forming top edge 115 of a cylindrical plate cam 115 which is mounted on the upper end of the bracket 86. When the cam roller 111 is engaged with the cam plate 115 the ball valve member 106 is raised so as to open the discharge passageway 104 at the bottom of the measuring cup 92. When the cup assembly is not raised the cam roller 111 passes beneath the cam plate i115 and there is no valve operation so that the contents of the cup is not discharged. The valve rod 107 is provided with a sleeve member 116 which encompasses an upper portion of the rod 107 and has a threaded connection with the same so that rotation of the sleeve 116 moves the same axially on the rod 107 or raises and lowers the same thereon. The sleeve 116 functions as a fine adjustment for varying the volume of liquid which is tredeived in the cup 92 when it is lowered to bring the upper edge below the level of the liquid in the trough 65. Preferably, removable inserts 117 are provided for the cup 92 so as to permit the volume of the cup to be adjusted by insertion or removal of the inserts 117, the latter, of course, being cylindrical in shape and permitting discharge of the liquid through the axial passageway 1-18 therein when the rod 107 is raised to open the valve 104.

The cam track forming plate member 115 at the top of the machine extends circumferentially of the turret from a point just beyond the entry point of the containers from the star wheel 27 to a point short of where the containers are removed by the star wheel 31. The upper edge 1.15 of the cam plate 115 is at a level'sufficient to raise the valve lball 106 for opening the valve after the valve assembly has been elevated by upward movement of the platform member 15 and engagement of the mouth of the container C with the plug member 93 or cap 95, so as to empty the contents of the cup 92 into the container C while all the elements are in the raised position.

In using the apparatus, liquid is supplied to the trough 65 through the conduit 91 so as to fill it level with the upper edge 70 of the inner wall 71 and to maintain it in form members 15 are raised and the container C beneath the same.

assembly 117 to its lowermost the inner wall having a lesser mitting excess liquid to spill over into of the receptacle, a receptacle beneath the center opening filled Condition With the excess spilling over the edge 70 and into the drainage cup or funnel 73 from which it is returned to the supply line. The containers C are delivered successively to the platform members 15 by operationof thestar wheel 27 and each container is positioned under a valve assembly 17, the latter being aligned vertically above the platform members 15. As the turret member 13 advances, the successive platform members 15 are raised by engagement of the cam rollers 57 with the platform cam 58. Raising the platform member 15 moves the container C upwardly to engage the open mouth thereof beneath the plug forming bottom end :member. 93 of the valve assembly 17. The valve assernbly 17 is normally held with the 92 belowthe level of the liquid in the cup 92 is normally filled with top edge of the cup the trough 65 so that liquid. As the platcontainers C are elevated so as to elevate the valve assembly 17, the top edge of the cup 92 moves to a position above the level of the liquid inthe trough 65 which results in a metered amount of the liquid being trapped in the cup 92. As the turret 13 rotates the cam follower 111 engages on the top surface 115' of the cam ring 115 and the valve ball 106 is lifted to allow theliquid in the cup to discharge into the As the container C is moved around the turret and approaches the star wheel 31 for discharge from the platform member 15 the cam follower 111 moves off of the end of the cam track 115 and drops the valve bal-l 106 to close the passageway 104. The platform member 15 is then lowered by the configuration of the cam ring 58 so as to drop the valve position where the top edge of the cup 92 is below the level of the liquid in the trough 65 and the cup 92 is refilled for the next dispensing operation. The platform member 15 has sufiicient movement relative to the bottom end of the Valve assembly 17 to release the container C for removal from the turret by the star wheel 31 when the platform member 15 is lowered to its bottom position.

While particular materials and specific details of construction are referred to in describing the illustrated form ,of the apparatus, it will be understood that other materials and, different structural details may be employed within the spirit of the invention. We claim:

' 1. A machine for filling containers with a measured amount of ai-liquid material, said machine comprising a flhorizontally disposed supply receptacle mounted for which receptacle is in the rotation about a vertical axis, form of a circular-tray with an upwardly opening annular trough defined byinner and outer walls of unequal height, height than the outer wall and the receptacle having acenter aperture, means for of the li uid at the height of the inner wall and perthe center opening for receiving the excess 'liquid, a plurality of liquid meas- -.supplying liquid to the trough so as to maintain the level it uring and dispensing valve assemblies mounted in peripher-ally spaced relation in the annular trough, each of said measuring and dispensing valve assemblies comprising a cylindrical measuring cup disposed in sliding relation in a vertically extending bottom opening in the trough, each said cup being open at the top and having a bottom cap disposed beneath the trough with a central axially extending discharge passageway and a ball valve for opening and closing the passageway, the valve ball being carried on the lower end of a vertically extending rod, an extensible bellows-type seal between the top oflthe cup and theibottom opening in the trough so as to close off thelatter and prevent escape of liquid through the bottom opening, a series of containersupporting platforms aligned beneath the measuring and dispensing valve assemblies, means for delivering containers to be filled to the platform, means for raising ,spillover the inside lip means for raising and lowering the platforms to engage the tops of the containers with the lower ends of said assemblies and to raise said assemblies so as to move the open tops of the cups from a position below the level of the liquid in the trough to an elevated position above the level of the liquid in the trough, a circular cam and cam followers on the valve carrying rods for raising the valve carrying rods to open the valves for discharge of the contents of the measuring cups when the measuring cups have been raised to a position where the tops thereof are above the level of the liquid in the trough and a predetermined quantity of the liquid is trapped in each of the cups.

2. A container filling machine which comprises a turret including a liquid supply bowl having an annular trough with an inside lip which is lower than the outside wall thereof and a center opening into which liquid will spill over the inside lip when the trough is filled to overflowing, said bowl having a plurality of openings in the bottom of, the trough and a plurality of measuring and dispensing assemblies mounted in sliding relation in said openings, each of said assemblies comprising a cylindrical measuring cup having an open top and a capped bottom with the bottom protruding through the bottom of the bowl, a flexible bellows-type seal in the trough which extends between the top of the cup and the opening in the bottom of the trough ,for preventing the passage of liquid therethrough, an axial discharge passageway in the cap on the bottom of the cup which terminates at a ball valve seat, a valve ball mounted on an axially extending rod which is supported for vertical movement in the cup, container supporting platforms aligned below each of said measuring and dispensing assemblies and cam means ,for raising and lowering the platforms, a conveyor for delivering containers to be filled to the turret and for taking the filled containers away, star wheels for transferring the containers from the conveyor to the turret and from the turret to the conveyor, and co-operating cam members disposed circumferentially on the bowl and on the valve rods for raising and lowering the valve balls so as to open and close the bottom discharge passageways in the cups.

3. A container filling machine which comprises a turret including a liquid supply bowl having an annular trough with an inside lip which is lower than the outside wall thereof and a center opening into which liquid will when the trough is filled to overflowing, said trough having a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings inthe bottom thereof, measuring and dispensing valve assemblies mounted in sliding relation in said openings, each of said assemblies comprising a cylindircal measuring cup disposed in an opening with an open top and a capped bottom protruding through the bottom of the bowl, a flexible bellows-type seal in the trough between the top of the cup and the opening in the bottom of the trough for preventing the passage of liquid therethrough, while permitting vertical movement of the cup, a discharge passageway in the cap at -the bottom of the cup which terminates at a ball valve seat, a valve ball mounted on a rod which is supported for vertical movement in the cu a container supporting platform aligned below each of the assemblies andcam the platform, means for delivering containers to be filled beneath said assemblies on the turret and for taking the filled containers away, and cam means including a fixed cam track and coopen and close the valves in the 4. A container filling machine which comprises a liquid supply bowl having an annular trough with an inside wall having a top edge which is lower than the outside wall thereof and a center opening into which liquid will spill over the top edge of the inside wall when the trough is filled to overflowing, said trough having a plurality of openings in the bottom thereof, measuring and dispensing valve assemblies mounted in said openings, each of said assemblies comprising a cylindrical measuring cup disposed for vertical movement in an opening with an open top and a capped bottom which extends below the bottom of the bowl, a flexible seal in the trough between the top of the cup and the opening in the bottom of the trough for preventing the passage of liquid therethrough while permitting vertical movement of the cup, a discharge passageway in the bottom of the cup which terminates at a ball valve seat, a valve ball mounted on a vertically extending rod which is slidably supported in the cup, a container supporting platform aligned below each said assembly and cam means for raising and lowering the platforms, means for delivering containers to be filled onto the platforms and for taking the filled containers away, a circular cam mounted above the supply bowl and a cam follower on each valve rod .for raising and lowering the same to open and close the discharge passageway in the cup.

5. A machine for filling containers with a measured amount of a liquid material, said machine comprising a horizontally disposed supply receptacle which is in the form of a circular tray with an upwardly opening annular trough defined by inner and outer walls, the inner wall having a lesser height than the outer wall and the bowl having a center aperture, means for supplying liquid to the trough so as to maintain the level of the liquid at the height of the inner wall and permitting excess liquid to spill over into said center aperture, a funnel-like receptacle beneath said center aperture for receiving the excess liquid and having connection with said liquid supply means for returning excess liquid thereto, liquid measuring and dispensing valve assemblies mounted in peripherally spaced relation in said annular trough, said trough having circumferentially spaced bottom openings, said assemblies each comprising a cylindrical measuring cup disposed in vertically extending sliding relation in a bottom opening in the trough, each said cup being open at the top and having a bottom closure projecting beneath the trough with a central axially extending discharge passageway and a valve for opening and closing the passageway, the valve being mounted on the lower end of a vertically extending rod, an extensible bellows-type seal within the trough and extending between the top of the cup and the opening in the bottom of the trough so as to close off the opening and prevent escape of liquid through said opening while permitting reciprocal movement of said cup, container supporting platforms aligned beneath said assemblies, means for delivering containers to be filled to the platforms, means for raising the platforms to engage the tops of the containers with the bottom closures on the lower ends of said assemblies and to raise said assemblies so as to move the open tops of the measuring cups from a position below the level of the liquid in the trough to an elevated position above the level of the liquid in the trough, a cam ring and co-operating cam members on the valve rods for raising the valve rods to open the valves for discharge of the trapped contents of the measuring cups when the measuring cups have been raised to said elevated position.

6. A machine as recited in claim 5, and removable inserts adapted to be seated in the bottom of the cups for varying the volume of the liquid trapped in the measuring cups when the cups are raised from a lowered position so as to move the open tops above the level of the liquid in the supply receptacle, said inserts having a center passageway aligned with said cup discharge passageway for accommodating the valve rod and for discharge of the liquid therethrough.

7. A machine as recited in claim 6, and a sleeve mounted for axial adjustment on the upper portion of each valve rod so that the bottom end of the sleeve may be positioned in the cup and thereby provide a fine adjustment of the volume of liquid trapped in the cup when it is raised so as to move the open top above the level of the liquid in the supply receptacle.

8. A machine for filling successive containers with a measured amount of a liquid material, said machine comprising a rotatably mounted, horizontally disposed liquid supply bowl which is in the form of a circular tray with an upwardly opening annular trough, means for supplying liquid to the trough so as to maintain a quantity of the liquid in the trough at a predetermined constant level, said bowl having a plurality of openings in peripherally spaced relation in the bottom of said annular trough, liquid measuring and dispensing assemblies mounted in said openings, each of said assemblies comprising a cylindrical measuring cup disposed in vertically extending, slidable relation in and having the bottom portion thereof extending through the bottom opening in the trough, each said measuring cup being open at the top and having a bottom forming dispensing valve assembly at the lower end thereof which has a central axially extending discharge passageway and a valve ball for opening and closing the pasageway, a vertically extending rod on the lower end of which the valve ball is mounted, an extensible cylindrical bellows seal extending within the trough between the top of each measuring cup and the opening in the bottom of the trough in which the measuring cup is slidably disposed so as to close off the latter and prevent escape of liquid through said bottom opening while permitting vertical movement of the cup to a position where the top of the cup is above the level of the liquid in the trough, container supporting platforms aligned beneath the said measuring and dispensing assemblies, means supporting said platforms for rotation with said supply bowl, means for delivering containers to be filled in upright position onto the platform, means for raising the platforms a distance suflicient to engage the tops of the containers with the lower ends of said assemblies and to raise said assemblies so as to lift the open tops of the cups from a position below the level of the liquid in the trough to an elevated position above the level of the liquid in the trough thereby trapping a measured amount of the liquid in each of the cups, and cam means cooperating with said valve rods for raising the ball valve rrods independently of the cup movement once a cup is in elevated position thereby to open the discharge passageway and discharge the trapped liquid in the measuring cups into the containers while the cups are in said elevated position.

9. A machine for filling containers with a measured quantity of a liquid material, which machine comprises a horizontally disposed liquid supply bowl with an upwardly opening, annular trough for receiving a supply of the liquid, means for supplying liquid to the trough so as to maintain the level of the liquid at a predetermined constant height, measuring and dispensing assemblies mounted in peripherally spaced relation in the trough, each of said assemblies comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical measuring cup member having a top opening and a bottom forming valve assembly with an axially extending discharge passageway and an associated valve member in said passageway which is adapted to be raised to open said passageway, said cup member being mounted for vertical movement in a vertically extending bore in the bottom of the annular trough between a lowered position where the top of the cup member is below the level of the liquid with the bottom of the cup member extending below the trough and a raised position where the top of the cup member is above the level of the liquid so as to trap in the cup member a measured quantity of the liquid when the cup member is raised, container supporting members below the cup members, means for delivering open top containers to be filled to said container supporting members, means for raising the container supporting members so asto engage the tops of the containers with the bottom ends of said assemblies and to raise the assemblies a distance sufficient to bring the top openings of the measuring cup members above the level of the liquid in the trough, and cam means operative upon predetermined upward movement of the measuring cup members for raising the associated valve members in the measuring cup members independently of cup movement while the measuring cup members are in raised position thereby to 'discharge the liquid trapped in the measuring cup members into the containers.

10. A machine as recited in claim 9, and an extensible cylindrical bellows sealing means extending between the top portion of each measuring cup and the bore in the bottom of the trough in which the measuring cup is mounted for preventing leakage of liquid material through the bores.

1 0 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 4/1929 France.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. E. J. EARLS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

3. A CONTAINER FILLING MACHINE WHICH COMPRISES A TURRET INCLUDING A LIQUID SUPPLY BOWL HAVING AN ANNULAR TROUGH WITH AN INSIDE LIP WHICH IS LOWER THAN THE OUTSIDE WALL THEREOF AND A CENTER OPENING INTO WHICH LIQUID WILL SPILL OVER THE INSIDE LIP WHEN THE TROUGH IS FILLED TO OVERFLOWING, SAID TROUGH HAVING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED OPENINGS IN THE BOTTOM THEREOF, MEASURING AND DISPENSING VALVE ASSEMBLIES MOUNTED IN SLIDING RELATION IN SAID OPENINGS, EACH OF SAID ASSEMBLIES COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL MEASURING CUP DISPOSED IN AN OPENING WITH AN OPEN TOP AND A CAPPED BOTTOM PROTRUDING THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE BOWL, A FLEXIBLE BELLOWS-TYPE SEAL IN THE TROUGH BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE CUP AND THE OPENING IN THE BOTTOM OF THE TROUGH FOR PREVENTING THE PASSAGE OF LIQUID THERETHROUGH, WHILE PERMITTING VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF THE CUP, A DISCHARGE PASSAGEWAY IN THE CAP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CUP WHICH TERMINATES AT A BALL VALVE SEAT, A VALVE BALL MOUNTED ON A ROD WHICH IS SUPPORTED FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT IN THE CUP, A CONTAINER SUPPORTING PLATFORM ALIGNED BELOW EACH OF THE ASSEMBLIES AND CAM MEANS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING THE PLATFORM, MEANS FOR DELIVERING CONTAINERS TO BE FILLED BENEATH SAID ASSEMBLIES ON THE TURRET AND FOR TAKING THE FILLED CONTAINERS AWAY, AND CAM MEANS INCLUDING A FIXED CAM TRACK AND COOPERATING CAM FOLLOWERS ON THE VALVE RODS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING THE SAME TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE VALVES IN THE CUPS.