US3349859A

US3349859A - Liquid fill apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3349859A
Application number: US434756A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Herbert F Cox; Clyde E Strahl
Original assignee: Inland Container Corp
Current assignee: Inland Container Corp
Priority date: 1965-02-24
Filing date: 1965-02-24
Publication date: 1967-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 1984-10-31

Description

Oct. 31, 1967 H. F. cox, JR., ET AL LIQUID FILL APPARATUS I 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24, 1965 INVENTORS HERBERT F. COXJR.

CLYDE E. STRAHL.

ATTORNEV Oct. 31, 1967 H. F. cox, JR., ET AL 3,349,359

LIQUID FILL APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1965 I) Sheets-Sheet 3 m M o m m f 6 mm. m "n m H mx I n m a l l mn uw-rfll "VF. I. m I gw lfi R a 7/! a 2 m I I 2 H n I. I m; 8 m b m 4 2 0 A w m 4 5 \mm 3 I m 1| F 1 r A 2 JV & a o O Q m w '0 O 4 m m m Q m w m mm m 4 1 x e W 1v VF 47 WI 3 l I g \QUC v 7/ fK 2 8OrIo M m 3 I CLVDE ESTRAHL. BY M ATTORNEY LIQUID FILL APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheetfi Filed Feb. 24, 1965 IN VENTOR. HERBERT F. COX. 3 R.

CLYDE E.STRAHL- ATTORNEY United States Patent.

3,349,859 LIQUID FILL APPARATUS Herbert F. Cox, Jr., Syracuse, NY. and Clyde E. Strahl, Greenfield, Ind., assignors to Inland Container Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Feb. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 434,756 11 Claims. (Cl. 177-118) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Liquid fill apparatus having a three position valve, one element of which has a nozzle for engaging a fill hose, and in which an air cylinder moves the nozzle into engagement with the fill hose and moves the valve from one position to a second position where the nozzle is connected to vacuum, and a second air cylinder adapted after a predetermined interval of delay moves the valve to the third position where the nozzle is connected to pressure fill, and in which after a predetermined quantity of liquid has been delivered, the second air cylinder returns the valve to the second position, and after a predetermined dwell' period, to clear the nozzle by suction, the first air cylinder returns the valve to the original position and uncouples the nozzle.

This invention relates to automatic liquid filling apparatus adapted to sequentially vacuumize and pressure fill thin walled plastic liners disposed in semi-rigid cartons or other containers.

In the filling of plastic liner bags used in conjunction with corrugated fiber board cartons and the like, the liner bags, of thin plastic, single ply, or double ply, are provided with a filling tube or hose which is generally sealed at its end and attached to the liner shortly after extrusion of the liner material, it being understood that in two ply liners, the internal ply is usually of tubular extruded plastic of polyethylene or the like. The tubular inner ply, once extruded and cut to length and heat sealed, and supplied with a fill tube is usually in substantially collapsed form, that is, there is no air or gas within the liner of any consequential amount. In the filling of such liners with a liquid product such as milk, it is desirable to couple the fill nozzle to the fill tube, while providing for the escape of entrapped air. Thus it has been found desirable to subject the liner and its fill tube to a subatmospheric pressure source, immediately before the pressure filling, in order to eliminate substantially all of the gas or air contained in the liner. When filling with milk, the absence of air within the liner eliminates foaming, and filling at a rapid rate as under pressure is thus permissible.

The vacuumizing and filling of such liners has been accomplished by a valvular nozzle arrangement, which in sequence connects a nozzle to the fill tube, and while maintaining such connection, the nozzle is first connected to a source of vacuum, and thereafter -by shifting of the valve is connected to a pressure source of liquid product such as milk, cream, ice cream mix or the like. After filling out the liner into supported relation with its semi-rigid container, and supplying the desired quantity of liquid, the valvular nozzle device, while the nozzle remains coupled to the fill tube, is shifted to cut off the supply of liquid product, and to subject the nozzle to vacuum, and to thereafter cut off the vacuum, before disconnecting the nozzle from the fill tube. The foregoing sequence of operations has heretofore been carried out manually, with apparatus as shown in Cox 3,108,901, following the procedure described in Cox Patent No. 3,178,063, issued Aug. 13, 1965. Such manual operation tended to provide inadequate dwell at the vacuumizing stage to assure that the liner was as free of air as possible, and failed to pro- 3,349,859 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 vide adequate dwell at the vacuumizing stage following the fill to remove the excess liquid from the nozzle. -It is desirable in dairy apparatus that spillage and unsanitary conditions resulting therefrom be avoided.

The present invention is directed to the power operation of a filling apparatus of the type that has a nozzle that first couples with a liner fill tube, and sequentially subjects the liner to vacuum followed by filling, and the reverse operation after filling. More particularly the invention is directed to power operation of such apparatus wherein the filling valve is moved through two positively controlled increments of movement, one to couple the nozzle to the liner fill tube, and shift the valve to vacuumizing position, and the second to shift the valve from vacuumizing position to fill position after a predetermined interval of time. The invention further provides for reverse movement through predetermined increments of movement spaced by a predetermined dwell period at the vacuum valve connection, the reverse movement being triggered by the termination of the filling of the liner to the extent desired.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

' In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational apparatus with parts broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a quarter section illustrative view showing the relation of the filler head parts in off position;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the relation of the filler head parts in the vacuumizing position;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURES 2 showing the relation of the filler position, and

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view of the air and electric control apparatus.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown a work table and frame 120 which may be rectangular and provided with a cabinet 122 therebeneath to house apparatus such as a vacuum pump, and scale mechanism. Above the work table is a scale platform 20 upon which a corrugated carton 22 having a thin wall plastic liner bag 24 is supported during filling, the scale being employed to measure the scale has a pair of electrical contacts wh1ch are closed when a weight of liquid product has been delivered to the liner 24 equivalent to the volume desired, and for which the scale and switch 70 have been set. The table and cabinet are supported on legs 126.

In the center of the rear of the table there is mounted a vertical column 43 that may be raised or lowered, the column being slidably supported in

guide blocks

131 and 132. The lower end of the column is provided with a rack 134. Journalled in the block 132 to one side of the column 43 is a shaft 136 having a small pinion 138 in engagement with the rack 134. The shaft 136 extends to the front of the table and is provided with a handcrank 140. A set screw 133 may be provided in the block 131 which when tightened will hold the column 43 at view of the filling and 3 head parts in the fill any set position. By raising or lowering the column 43,

, end of a fill tube 26 attached tolthe liner 24. Such support arm is split at its outer end, and one portion 29 thereof hinged on a vertical pivot as at 31 so that the split parts can be locked about the tube 26, as by a lock bar 33-, or opened to allow insertion or removal of the tube 26 prior to or after filling. A cutter 142 having a horizontal blade (not shown) swinging about a vertical axis is pivotally mounted upon the arm 28, a pivot pin 144 being provided for the purpose.

Above the tube support arm 28 is a valve support arm 44. The support arm slidably supports a valve casing 37 in spaced

bushing sleeves

146 and 148. The casing 37 has a shoulder 150 which limits its upward movement with respect to the arm 44. The casing 37 is provided with opposed axially aligned trunnions 152, only one of which is shown in FIGURES 2, 3, and 4, in order to permit the showing of the vacuumizing port 38 which normally extends to the rear. The trunnions 152, on opposite sides of the casing 37, are engaged in the forked ends 154 of a forked lever 46, having spaced

arms

45 and 47 on opposite sides of the column 43, and the valve casing 37. The spaced arms are pivoted on axially aligned pivot pin 156 afiixed on opposite sides of the column 43. The opposite end of the lever 46 is coupled to the piston rod 48 of the upper air cylinder 52, of the tandem cylinder operating assembly 50. The lower end of the tandem assembly 50, is pivotally mounted as at 188, on an arm 190 affixed to the column 43.

Within the valve casing 37 is a valve body 32, having threaded on its lower end, a fill nozzle 36. The valve body is provided with a T-port 34 the axial portion of which couples with the nozzle port 35, and the upper transverse portion of which communicates with an annular groove 160 in the valve body. The valve body is generally cylindrical and slides within the cylindrical bore of casing 37. O-

ring seals

162, 164, 166 and 168 are provided along the length of the body.

The valve casing 37 is provided with a port 38, adapted to be connected to a vacuum pump 10, the connection having a liquid trap 12 interposed between the pump and valve. The port 38, while shown at the side in FIG- URES 2, 3 and 4, for illustrative purposes, will preferably in practice extend to the rear of the valve casing, as indicated in FIGURE 1, since in practice axially aligned opposed trunnions 152 are employed for the lever 46.

The valve casing 37 is also provided with a product port 40 disposed above, and axially spaced from the vacuum port 38. Liquid product'from a supply 14 is delivered under pressure to the port 4t] by a pump 16. The valve body 32 has a stem 170, which extends upwardly through the valve casing sleeve 172, and projects through the end block 174 of the sleeve. The stem 170 is provided with a groove 176 in which is disposed a ring 178 to limit the relative movement between the stem 170 and sleeve 172. Disposed upon the stem 170 is a compression coil spring 42 which bears against the shoulder 180 and the block 174. The spring is under moderate compression when the parts are in the position shown in FIGURE 2 or FIGURE 1.

It will be understood that in practice, the port 38 is connected to a source of vacuum, the pump 10, providing vacuum in the order of 5 to 8 inches of mercury, and that port 40 is connected to a source of liquid product, such as milk, ice cream mix or the like, that is under pressure, which may be in the order of to 40 pounds per square inch gage. Before filling, a carton 22 is placed upon the scale platform, a liner 24 placed in the carton, and the fill hose positioned in the support arm 28. The cutter 142 is employed to cut ofi the sealed or plugged end of the hose on a transverse cut as indicated at 17, at a uniform fixed height above the arm 28.

In order to fill the liner, the valve casing 37 is lowered, by initial actuation of the tandem cylinder assembly 50 to bring the nozzle into coupled engagement with the open cut end 17 of the tube, and lower the valve casing further, with respect to the valve body 32 to align the groove160 with the vacuum port 38 as in FIGURE 3,

the spring 42 having been additionally compressed in the process. The thin walled plastic liner bag with its hose 26 is generally manufactured as a bag assembly under sanitary conditions, the hose end being sealed, and the bag being collapsed and substantially free of any gas or air. Thus upon cutting off the sealed end of the hose and coupling the nozzle 36- to the tube end, sanitary conditions are maintained. By coupling the tube 26 by valve actuation to the source of vacuum, removal of substantially all of the air or gas contained in the liner is further assured, and the air or gas in the tube 26 rarified.

Thereafter the valve casing 37 is further lowered to the position shownin FIGURE 4, by actuation from the cylinder assembly, wherein the product port 40 is aligned with the valve body groove 160, and liquid product is caused to flow rapidly under pressure into the bag or liner 24-, to cause the same to fill out into supported relation with the carton side walls, it being understood that the liner preferably has sufiicient length and girth to fill out in supported relation to the carton without being stressed.

When the desired quantity of liquid product has been supplied to the liner, the scale switch 70 closes, the cylinder assembly 50 permits the spring 42 to lift the valve casing 37 to cut off the supply of liquid product, and move the valve to the vacuumizing position shown in FIG- URE 3, to suck the port 35 in the nozzle, and the bore 34 of the valve body clear of liquid product, whereupon when the casing 37 is lifted to the position shown in FIGURE 2 no drip will occur. The tube 26 is ready for release from the arm 28, and the open end plugged, and the filled container is sealed and removed from the scale platform.

The power control over the operation of the apparatus will appear from a consideration of the diagrammatic electrical and air circuit shown in FIGURE 5. As indicated therein, there is the scale platform 20, upon which is positioned the carton 22, with its liner 24 and hose 26 attached thereto, the hose 26 being supported in the column arm 28, in alignment with the reciprocating vacuumizing and filling valve 30. Such valve comprises the valve body 32 having the T-port 34 and nozzle 36. The valve body is slidable within valve casing 37 to sequentially connect with the vacuum port 38, and liquid product port 40, after engagement of the nozzle 36 with the hose 26, the shifting of the valve body 32 in casing 37 being against the compression of spring 42. The valve casing 37, being slidably mounted in column support arm 44, is actuated by the lever 46 connected to the piston rod 48 of the upper cylinder 52 of the tandem cylinder assembly 50.

The cylinder assembly 50 comprises two axially aligned

cylinders

52 and 54, the upper cylinder 52 having a piston and rod travel correlated to the overall travel of the valve casing 37. The lower cylinder 54 is provided with a piston 56 and rod 58 having a'lesser travel, "and the end of the rod 58 abuts the piston 60 of cylinder 52, and is adapted to move the piston 60 and its rod 48 through a partial stroke, such partial stroke being commensurate with the amount of movement required of the valve casing 37 to couple the nozzle 36 with the end of the hose 26, and shift with respect to the valve body 32 a sufficient distance to align the vacuum port 38 with the valve body groove 160. Thus the lower cylinder 54 is adapted to shift the valve 30 to the vacuum position as shown in FIGURE 3, while the upper cylinder is adapted to complete the movement to align the product port 40 with the valve body groove 160. Thus in bringing the valve to filling position, two positive steps of movement are provided, by control of the

cylinders

52 and 54, and in returning the valve after filling, two positive steps of movement are also provided by the cylinder control. Manual switches 72 and 74 are provided for closing by an' operator to commence the filling operation. When switches 72 and 74 are simultaneously closed, solenoid of a four-way valve 82 is energized, and solenoid 84 of a three-way valve 86 is energized, through the normally closed lower contacts 88 of a vacuum hold switch 89, the upper contacts 90 of which are normally open.

Actuation of the valve 86, from the position shown, introduces air under pressure from an air pressure line 91, into a valve operating pilot cylinder 92 of a four-way valve 94. The valve 94, upon being shifted counterclockwise from the position shown, introduces air under pressure through pipe 96 into cylinder 54, driving the piston 56 through its entire stroke, and thereby moving piston 60 of cylinder 52 through a fixed part of its stroke, and thus the valve casing 37 is lowered to couple the valve body nozzle 36 with the end 17 of hose 26, and bring the groove 160 in alignment with the vacuum port 38 against the urge of spring 42 (see FIGURE 3). The energization of solenoid 80 shifts valve 82 clockwise from the position shown, so as to subject the pneumatic time delay device 100 to air pressure from pipe line 96.

The pneumatic time delay valve, after a pre-set interval, passes air for actuation of the air actuated pilot operator 102 of the three-way valve 104, shifting the same counterclockwise from the position shown so as to supply air under pressure to cylinder 52 through

pipes

106, 108 and 109. The pipe 108 is provided with an exhaust dump valve 110, the normally open exhaust port 112 of which is closed by valve actuation therewithin, in response to pressure in pipe 108. Thus While piston 56 moves piston 60 through a partial stroke, air is free to enter exhaust port 112. The upper end of cylinder 54 is provided with a vent 55. Upon air, under pressure, being delivered to pipe 108 from valve 104, the exhaust port 112 of the dump valve is closed, and the piston 60 is driven through the remainder of its stroke, whereupon liquid product under pressure at port 40, is coupled with the groove 160 of valve body 32, and filling of the container liner 24 commences (see FIGURE 4).

When a predetermined weight of liquid product has been delivered to the liner 24, scale switch 70 closes, energizing solenoid 85 of valve 86 to return the valve 86 to the position shown, and to exhaust the pilot cylinder 92. At the same time solenoid 81 of valve 82 is energized, shifting valve 82 to the position shown, and exhausting pipe 101, and pilot operator 102, it being understood that on reverse flow, the pneumatic time delay valve 100 acts as a free flowing check valve. Air pressure in line 96 flows through valve 82 to pipe 120 to actuate pilot 122 to shift valve 104 to the position shown, whereby pressure in pipe line 108 is relieved, and exhaust port 112 of the quick dump valve 110 opened, thus allowing the spring 42 to move the piston 60 downwardly to a position where it is blocked by the raised piston 56 and its rod 58. The valve body 32 and groove rested,

of milk in the nozzle 36 and its bore 35. Air pressure in line 120 commences to activate the pneumatic timer delay valve 124, and after a preset interval, air under pressure passes through the valve to pilot 93 of valve 94, causing the valve 94 to shift to the position shown. The valve 94 thus connects cylinder 54 to the exhaust port 97 of valve 94, and connects the pressure source 91 t the upper end of cylinder 52 through pipe 130 to drive the piston 60 to the lower end of its stroke, and thereby shift the valve body 32 with respect to the casing 37 to cut off vacuum and to lift the nozzle 36 from the hose 26 of the liner 24. It will be seen that the piston 56 returns to its lower position,

pipes

96 and 120 being exhaused as at 97, and the time delay device 124 releases the pressure on pilot 93, by reason of its free reverse flow check valve operation.

Each of the pneumatic time delay valves are identical in construction, and act as a check valve allowing free flow in one direction. In the opposite direction, an adjustable bleed controls the time delay be- 100 and 124 fore the valve opens. In practice each may be set to provide a time delay of about one second, which is a sulficient dwell at the vacuumizing port to assure removal of air, on the downstroke of the filler valve, and avoid Spillage upon the upstroke upon removal of the nozzle from the hose end.

If at any time it is desired to stop the operation during filling, a stop switch 140 is provided connected in parallel with the scale switch 70. Thus by momentarily closing switch 140, the same Sequence of operations set in motion by the closing of scale contacts 70, is elfected, which results in the same two stage lifting of the valve casing 37, together with the valve body 32 and nozzle 36 to the start position indicated. If it be desired to provide a prolonged period during which vacuum is applied to the liner, preparatory to filling, normally open switch is momentarily closed, opening switch 88, and switch 74 simultaneously closed, so as to energize solenoid 84, to shift valve 86 to activate the pilot 92, which in turn shifts valve 94 to supply air to cylinder 54. Movement of the piston 56, to the top of its stroke brings the valve casing 37 to the position relative to the valve body 32 so as to couple the vacuum port 38 to the groove 160 of the valve body 32. Thereafter the fill cycle can be completed as soon as desired, by merely momentarily closing switch 72. Such prolonged vacuumization period may be useful if for any reason, a liner should contain excess air requiring more time for removal.

While cylinders arranged in tandem have been shown for effecting the two stage movement, an arrangement employing two cylinders operating the valvular mechanism through an equalizing bar would be equally effective, one cylinder in that case being responsible for the initial increment of movement, and the other responsible for the final increment of movement.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that positive actuation of the fill apparatus in two stages, with a desired dwell at the vacuumizing stage is assured, and since the operation is automatic, the operator is free to adjust the bag, and watch the filling thereof to the end that the bag fills out against the walls of the supporting container as desired. The operator may also prepare the next carton and liner for filling, or complete the closing of the flaps of the previous container. By reason of the dwells at the vacuumizing stage, not only is the liner completely collapsed, but unsanitary spillage of milk, after fill is avoided.

It will be understood that the control switches 72, 89, 140 and 74 may be conveniently located upon the front of the cabinet 122 as indicated in FIGURE 1, and the cylinder control apparatus of FIGURE 5 may be housed as at 200, the

flexible tubes

96, 109, and leading to the tandem air cylinder assembly 50. From the apparatus shown, it will be seen that all the necessary operating mechanism is supported upon the column 43, so that its height may be varied without disturbing the actuating mechanism.

While a single form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In liquid filling apparatus for filling flexible thin walled collapsible container liners disposed within a semirigid supporting container, the liner having a fill tube, valvular means having a nozzle adapted for connecting with said fill tube and including relatively movable valve means having a first ofl position, a second vacuumizing position for connecting said nozzle to a source of the valve means between said first and third positions in two increments of movement separated by a fixed increment of delay at the second position.

2. In liquid filling apparatus for filling flexible thin walled collapsible container liners disposed within a semirigid supporting container, the liner having a fill tube, means for supporting a fill tube in a position elevated above the container, valvular means having a nozzle adapted for connecting with said fill tube and including relatively movable valve means having a first olf position, a second vacuumizing position for connecting said nozzle to a source of vacuum, and a third pressure fill position for connecting said nozzle to a source of liquid product under pressure, and power actuating means for said valve means for moving the valve means between said first and third positions in two increments of movement separated by a fixed increment of delay at the second position.

3. In liquid filling apparatus for filling flexible thin walled collapsible container liners disposed within a semirigid supporting container, the liner having a fill tube, means for supporting a fill tube in a position elevated above the container, valvular means having a nozzle adapted for connecting with said fill tube and including relatively moveable valve means comprising a valve casing and a valve body to which the nozzle is attached said valve casing and body having a first off position, a second vacuumizing position for connecting said nozzle to a source of vacuum, and a third pressure fill position for connecting said nozzle to a source of liquid product under pressure, resilient means associated with said valve casing and body for urging the valve body toward the off position and power actuating means for said valve means for moving the valve means and valve casing and body relative to each other against said resilient means between said first and third positions in two increments of movement separated by a fixed increment of delay at the second position.

4. In liquid filling apparatus for filling flexible thin walled collapsible container liners disposed within a semi-rigid supporting container, the diner having a fill tube, a scale platform for supporting a container and liner, means thereabove for supporting a liner fill tube, valvular means having a nozzle adapted for connecting with said fill tube and including relatively movable valve means including a valve casing and valve body to which the nozzle is attached and said valve casing and body having a first off position, a second vacuumizing position for connecting said nozzle to a source of vacuum, and a third pressure fill position for connecting said nozzle to a source of liquid product under pressure, resilient means for urging said valve body relative to said valve casing toward said first off position power actuating means for said valve means for moving the valve means and valve casing and body relative to each other against said resilient means between said first and third positions in two increments of movement separated by a fixed increment of delay at the second position, and means responsive to a predetermined scale platform weight for releasing the power actuating means effective in moving the valve casing'and body through the second increment of movement, whereby to allow the resilient means to return the valve body relative to the valve casing to the vacuumizing position.

5. In liquid filling apparatus for filling flexible thin walled collapsible container liners disposed within a semi-rigid supporting container, the liner having a fill tube, means thereabove for supporting a liner fill tube, valvular means having a nozzle adapted for connecting with said fill tube and including relatively movable valve means including a valve casing and valve body to which the nozzle is attached and said valve casing and body having a first off position, a second vacuumizing position for connecting said nozzle to a sou-roe of vacuum, and a third pressure fill position for connecting said nozzle to a source of liquid product under pressure, resilient means for urging said valve body relative to said valve casing toward said first off position power actuating means for said valve means for moving the valve means and valve casing and body relative to each other against said resilient means between said first and third positions in two increments of movement separated by a fixed increment of delay at the second position, and means responsive to a predetermined scale platform weight for releasing the power actuating means effective in moving the valve casing and body through the second increment of movement, whereby to allow the resilient means to return the valve body relative to the valve casing to the vacuumizing position, and means actuated after a predetermined dwell at the vacuumizing position for power actuation of the valve means to the first position and disconnecting the nozzle from the tube.

6. A liquid fill apparatus comprising a work table having a scale platform, a support column extending upwardly from said table, said column having an arm projecting over said scale platform for supporting the fill tube of a collapsible container liner disposed in a supporting container on said scale platform, said column having an upper arm disposed above said fill tube arm, valvular means slidably disposed in said upper arm including a valve body having a nozzle aligned for connecting with a fill tube held in said fill tube arm, and a valve casing reciprocable in said upper arm and relative to said valve body, said valve body having a lateral port communicating with the nozzle, and said valve casing having axially spaced upper and lower ports adapted to separately communicate with the valve body port, and resilient means for urging said valve body port to a position below said casing ports, a source of vacuum connected to the lower of said casing ports, and a source of liquid product under pressure connected to the upper of said casing ports power means for moving said valve casing to connect said nozzle to a fill tube held in said arm and move the valve casing downwardly with respect to the valve body to a position aligning said valve body port with the valve casing lower port against said resilient means, and separate power means for moving said valve casing relative tothe valve body to a position of alignment of said valve body port with the valve casing upper port, and means for activating said first power means in advance of said separate power means by a fixed time delay.

7. A liquid fill apparatus comprising a work table having a scale platform, a support column extending upwardly from said table, said column having an arm projecting over said scale platform for supporting the fill tube of a collapsible container liner disposed in a supporting container on said scale platform, said column having an upper arm disposed above said fill tube arm, valvular means slidably disposed in said upper arm including a valve body having a nozzle aligned for connecting with a fill tube held in said fill tube arm, and a valve casing reciprocable in said upper arm and relative to said valve body,

a scale platform for supporting a container and liner,

said valve body having a lateral port communicating with the nozzle, and said valve casing having axially spaced upper and lower ports adapted to separately communicate with the valve body port, and resilient means for urging said valve body port to a position below said casing ports, a source of vacuum connected to the lower of said casing ports, and a source of liquid product under pressure connected to the upper of said casing ports, power means for moving said valve casing from a first position to connect said nozzle to a fill tube held in said arm and move the valve casing downwardly with respect to the valve body to a vacuumizing position aligning said valve body port with the valve casing port against said resilient means, and separate power means for moving said valve casing further relative to the valve body to a fill position of alignment of said valve body port with the valve casing upper port and against said resilient means, means for activating said first power means in advance of said separate power means by a fixed time delay and means responsive to the movement of the scale platform for deactivating said separate power means whereby said resilient means returns the valve body and casing to the vacuumizing position.

8. A liquid fill apparatus comprising a work table having a scale platform, a support column extending upwardly from said table, said column having an arm projecting over said scale platform for supporting the fill tube of a collapsible container liner disposed in a supporting container on said scale platform, said column having an upper arm disposed above said fill tube arm, valvular means slidably disposed in said upper arm including a valve body having a nozzle aligned for connecting with a fill tube held in said fill tube arm, and a valve casing reciprocable in said upper arm and relative to said valve body, said valve body having a lateral port communicating with the nozzle, and said valve casing having axially spaced upper and lower ports adapted to separately com municate with the valve body port, and resilient means for urging said valve body port to a position below said casing ports, a source of vacuum connected to the lower of said casing ports, and a source of liquid product under pressure connected to the upper of said casing ports, power means for moving said valve casing from a first position to connect said nozzle to a fill tube held in said arm and move the valve casing downwardly with respect to the valve body to a vacuumizing position aligning said valve body port with the valve casing port against said resilient means, and separate power means for moving said valve casing further relative to the valve body to a fill position of alignment of said valve body port with the valve casing upper port and against said resilient means, means for activating said first power means in advance of said separate power means by a fixed time delay, means responsive to the movement of the scale platform for deactivating said separate power means whereby said resilient means returns the valve body and casing to the vacuumizing position, and power means effective after a fixed time delay for returning the valve casing to the first position and disconnecting the nozzle from the fill tube.

9. A liquid fill apparatus comprising a Work table having a scale platform, a support column extending upwardly from said table, said column having an arm projecting over said scale platform for supporting the fill tube of a collapsible container liner disposed in a supporting container on said scale platform, said column having an upper arm disposed above said fill tube arm, valvular means slidably disposed in said upper arm including a valve body having a nozzle aligned for connecting with a fill tube held in said fill tube arm, and a valve casing recipnocable in said upper arm and relative to said valve body, said valve body having a lateral port communicating with the nozzle, and said valve casing having axially spaced upper and lower ports adapted to separately communicate with the valve body port, and resilient means for urging said valve body port to a position below said casing ports, a source of vacuum connected to the lower of said casing ports, and a source of liquid product under pressure connected to the upper of said casing ports, first power means for moving said valve casing to connect said nozle to a fill tube held in said arm and move the valve casing downwardly with respect to the valve body to a position aligning said valve body port with the valve casing port against said resilient means, and second power means for moving said valve casing relative to the valve body to a position of alignment of said valve body port with the valve casing upper port, and means for activating said first power means in advance of said second power means by a fixed time delay, said first power means, and said second power means comprising short and long air cylinders and pistons ar ranged in tandem and mounted on said column, said short cylinder having a piston adapted to mechanically move the piston of the long cylinder through a part of its stroke, and a lever pivoted on said support column and having its opposite ends pivotally connected to the piston of the long cylinder and said valve casing.

10. A liquid fill apparatus according to claim 9, having means to raise and lower the column relative to the work table.

11. In a valve for filling liquids into a receptacle which valve has two positions, one position for prevacuumizing the receptacle to be filled, and a second position for filling the receptacle, the combination therewith of positive controlling means for positioning the valve in the vacuumizing position for a predetermined time.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1963 Cox 1/1967 Weikert

Claims

1. IN LIQUID FILLING APPARATUS FOR FILLING FLEXIBLE THIN WALLED COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER LINERS DISPOSED WITHIN A SEMIRIGID SUPPORTING CONTAINER, THE LINER HAVING A FILL TUBE, VALVULAR MEANS HAVING A NOZZLE ADAPTED FOR CONNECTING WITHSAID FILL TUBE AND INCLUDING RELATIVELY MOVABLE VALVE MEANS HAVING A FIRST OFF POSITION, A SECOND VACUUMIZING POSITION FOR CONNECTING SAID NOZZLE TO A SOURCE OF VACUUM, AND A THIRD PRESSURE FILL POSITION FOR CONNECTING SAID NOZZLE TO A SOURCE OF LIQUID PRODUCT UNDER PRESSURE, AND POWER ACTUATING MEANS FOR SAID VALVE MEANS FOR MOVING THE VALVE MEANS BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND THIRD POSITIONS IN TWO INCREMENTS OF MOVEMENT SEPARATED BY A FIXED INCREMENT OF DELAY AT THE SECOND POSITION.